Polish musicians were present in America before radio was invented. Paderewski performed at Carnegie Hall shortly after its opening, and the Reszke brothers sang during the golden age of the Metropolitan Opera. Later came jazz musicians from New York and Chicago, composers from Hollywood, polka kings from Polish neighborhoods in Chicago and Buffalo, and finally rock stars whose families arrived in America from Polish lands.
Our list includes only individuals whose Polish heritage is documented: in biographies, music encyclopedias, interviews, or official records. For each person, we state who they are, where their Polish roots come from, and provide links to Wikipedia and, if available, to their Spotify profile for immediate listening.
- Ignacy Jan Paderewski gave over 1500 concerts in the USA, died in New York in 1941, and his heart rests in the sanctuary in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
- Polish singers have performed on the Metropolitan Opera stage since its first season, from Marcelina Sembrich to Piotr Beczała and Aleksandra Kurzak.
- Gene Krupa, son of Polish immigrants from Chicago, made the drums a solo instrument, and Michał Urbaniak played on Miles Davis's album “Tutu.”
- Notable figures of Polish descent include Ray Manzarek from The Doors, Pat Benatar, Jack White, Peter Cetera from Chicago, and Bobby Vinton, the “Polish Prince.”
- Chicago-style polka is a creation of the Polish community, and Eddie Blazonczyk won a Grammy for it in 1987.
Piano
Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Virtuoso pianist, composer, and statesman, Prime Minister of the reborn Poland (1860–1941).
He was born in 1860 in Kuryłówka in Podolia. In the United States, he gave over 1500 concerts, performing in all states, and in 1891 he appeared at the newly opened Carnegie Hall. In 1902, the Metropolitan Opera staged his opera “Manru.” He died in New York on June 29, 1941, and by the decision of the U.S. President, he was temporarily buried at Arlington Cemetery. In 1992, his ashes were transferred to Warsaw, and his heart rests in the National Shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
Józef Hofmann
Pianist and educator, longtime director of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia (1876–1957).
He was born in 1876 in Podgórze, now a district of Kraków, as the son of composer Kazimierz Hofmann. In 1887, as an eleven-year-old prodigy, he performed at the Metropolitan Opera House, and 50 years later, he celebrated his golden jubilee there. From 1924, he taught at the newly established Curtis Institute, and by the late 1920s, he became its director, leading the institution until 1938. He became a U.S. citizen in 1926.
Zygmunt Stojowski
Pianist, composer, and educator, student and friend of Paderewski (1870–1946).
He was born in 1870 in Strzelce near Kielce. In 1905, he moved to the United States, where he concertized and taught piano at the New York Institute of Musical Art and the Juilliard School. He died in New York in 1946.
Artur Rubinstein
One of the greatest pianists of the 20th century, renowned interpreter of Chopin (1887–1982).
He was born in 1887 in Łódź. He began performing in the U.S. in 1906 and became a U.S. citizen in 1946. In 1976, President Gerald Ford awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Wanda Landowska
Harpsichordist and pianist who revived the harpsichord on the stages of the 20th century (1879–1959).
She was born in 1879 in Warsaw. Her first tour in America took place in 1923, and from 1925 to 1928, she taught at the Curtis Institute. After the war, she settled in Lakeville, Connecticut, where she taught, recorded, and died in 1959.
Mieczysław Horszowski
Pianist with one of the longest careers in history, legendary educator (1892–1993).
He was born in 1892 in Lviv. In 1940, he settled in the USA, and from 1942 until his death, he taught at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, with students including Murray Perahia and Richard Goode. He died in Philadelphia in 1993, a month before his 101st birthday.
Emanuel Ax
American pianist, multiple Grammy Award winner.
He was born in 1949 in Lviv to a Polish-Jewish family. After passing through Warsaw and Winnipeg, his family arrived in New York in 1961, where Ax studied at the Juilliard School. In 1974, he won the first International Piano Competition named after Arthur Rubinstein, received the Avery Fisher Prize in 1979, and won Grammy Awards in 1986 and 1987 for recordings with Yo-Yo Ma.
Opera
Marcelina Sembrich-Kochańska
Coloratura soprano, star of the early seasons of the Metropolitan Opera (1858–1935).
She was born in 1858 in Wiśniewczyk in Galicia as Prakseda Marcelina Kochańska. She sang in the first season of the Metropolitan Opera in 1883, and after retiring from the stage, she led vocal departments at the Curtis Institute and Juilliard. Her former studio in Bolton Landing on Lake George is now the museum The Sembrich.
Jan and Edward Reszke
Brothers from Warsaw, tenor and bass, stars of the golden age of the Metropolitan Opera.
Jan was born in 1850, and Edward in 1853, both in Warsaw. On December 14, 1891, they debuted together at the Metropolitan Opera in “Romeo and Juliet.” Jan opened New York seasons for years and triumphed as Tristan, while Edward sang in America until 1903.
Jan: Wikipedia
Edward: Wikipedia
Adam Didur
Bass, one of the pillars of the Metropolitan Opera for a quarter of a century (d. 1946).
He was born in Wola Sękowa near Sanok. He debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1908 as Ramfis in “Aida” and was its leading soloist until the early 1930s, especially known for his role as Boris Godunov. After the war, he founded an opera in Katowice.
Rosa Raisa
Dramatic soprano, primadonna of the Chicago opera (1893–1963).
She was born in 1893 in Białystok to a Jewish family as Raitza Burchstein. She was the first performer of the role of Turandot at La Scala in Milan, and in 1929, she opened the new Civic Opera House in Chicago as Aida. In Chicago, she and her husband founded a singing school.
Jan Kiepura
Tenor and film star, idol of the 1930s (1902–1966).
He was born in 1902 in Sosnowiec as the son of a baker. In 1938, he debuted at the Metropolitan Opera as Rudolf in “La Bohème.” In the 1940s, he starred alongside his wife Marta Eggerth in “The Merry Widow” on Broadway, settled in the USA, and died in Harrison, New York, in 1966.
Teresa Żylis-Gara
Soprano, star of the Metropolitan Opera for several seasons (1930–2021).
She was born in 1930 in Landwarów near Vilnius, and after the war, she lived with her family in Łódź. She debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in the 1968/1969 season as Donna Elvira in “Don Giovanni” and sang there until 1984, a total of 233 times.
Wiesław Ochman
Tenor with an international career.
He was born in 1937 in Warsaw. In the early 1970s, he sang in operas in Chicago and San Francisco, and in 1975, he debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in “I Vespri Siciliani” by Verdi. He later performed there as Lensky in “Eugene Onegin.”
Ewa Podleś
Contralto with a range of over three octaves (1952–2024).
She was born in 1952 in Warsaw. In 1984, she debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in the title role of Handel's “Rinaldo,” and also performed in operas in San Francisco, Houston, Seattle, and Dallas. She died in Warsaw in January 2024.
Piotr Beczała
Tenor, one of the most sought-after singers of his generation.
He was born in 1966 in Czechowice-Dziedzice and studied in Katowice. Since his debut as the Duke in “Rigoletto” in 2006, he has regularly sung at the Metropolitan Opera, including as Lensky, Edgardo, and Rudolf, and in the 2025/2026 season, he performed there as Andrea Chénier. In 2019, he was nominated for a Grammy for the recording of “Lohengrin.”
Mariusz Kwiecień
Baritone, famous Don Giovanni.
He was born in 1972 in Kraków. Since 1998, he studied in the Metropolitan Opera's young artist program, where he debuted in 1999, and later sang Don Giovanni at the Met and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In 2020, he ended his singing career and until 2023, he served as the artistic director of the Wrocław Opera.
Aleksandra Kurzak
Soprano, regularly performing at the Metropolitan Opera.
She was born in 1977 in Brzeg Dolny as the daughter of soprano Jolanta Żmurko. She debuted at the Met in 2004 as Olympia in “The Tales of Hoffmann,” and later sang there as Tosca and Liù. In March 2026, she replaced Sonia Jonczewą in the role of Cio-Cio-San in “Madame Butterfly.”
Conductors
Leopold Stokowski
Conductor, creator of the famous sound of the Philadelphia Orchestra (1882–1977).
He was born in 1882 in London. He had Polish roots through his father, and his grandfather Leopold was born in Poland. In 1912, he took over the Philadelphia Orchestra and led it for over two decades, also directing the New York Philharmonic and Houston Symphony. He is also described in the Hollywood guide.
Artur Rodziński
Conductor, head of four leading American orchestras (1892–1958).
He was born in 1892 in Split to a family of a Polish officer in the Austrian army and grew up in Lviv. In the USA, he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He became a U.S. citizen in 1933 and died in Boston in 1958.
Stanisław Skrowaczewski
Conductor and composer, head of the Minnesota Orchestra for nearly 20 years (1923–2017).
He was born in 1923 in Lviv. In 1958, at the invitation of George Szell, he debuted in the USA with the Cleveland Orchestra, and from 1960 to 1979, he was the music director of the orchestra in Minneapolis, which became the Minnesota Orchestra in 1968. He died in Minnesota in 2017.
Krzysztof Urbański
Conductor of the younger generation.
He was born in 1982 in Pabianice. In 2011, he became the music director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, making him the youngest head of a major American orchestra at that time. He led it for a decade, until the 2020/2021 season.
Jazz
Gene Krupa
Jazz drummer, one of the most influential drummers of the 20th century (1909–1973).
He was born in 1909 in Chicago as the youngest of nine children of Polish immigrants. His father Bartłomiej came from the village of Łęki Górne. From 1934, he played in Benny Goodman's orchestra, and his solo in “Sing, Sing, Sing” from 1937 made the drums a solo instrument. In 1959, a film titled “The Gene Krupa Story” featuring Sal Mineo was made about him.
Michał Urbaniak
Violinist, saxophonist, and composer, one of the creators of jazz fusion (1943–2025).
He was born in 1943 in Warsaw. In 1973, he moved to New York with Urszula Dudziak, recorded for Columbia Records, and founded the band Fusion. He played on Miles Davis's album “Tutu” (1986), performed at Carnegie Hall, and in 1992, DownBeat magazine ranked him first in five categories. He died on December 20, 2025.
Urszula Dudziak
Jazz vocalist known for her vocalizations and electronic voice processing.
She was born in 1943 in Straconka, now part of Bielsko-Biała. In 1973, she settled in Manhattan and performed with Gil Evans's orchestra, Archie Shepp's band, and the Vocal Summit group. Her album “Newborn Light” received five stars in Down Beat magazine, and the “Los Angeles Times” named her the vocalist of the year in 1979.
Adam Makowicz
Jazz pianist and composer.
He was born in 1940 in a Polish family in Hnojnik in Cieszyn Silesia and grew up in Poland. In 1977, producer John Hammond from Columbia Records invited him on a tour of the USA and to the New York club The Cookery, and in 1978, Makowicz settled in Manhattan. He later played at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.
Tomasz Stańko
Trumpeter and composer, one of the most important figures in European jazz (1942–2018).
He was born in 1942 in Rzeszów. Since 2008, he divided his time between Warsaw and New York, where he founded the New York Quartet with pianist David Virelles. He recorded albums “Wisława” (2013) and “December Avenue” (2017) for ECM with New York musicians.
Grażyna Auguścik
Vocalist, composer, and jazz arranger from Chicago.
She was born in 1955 in Słupsk. She came to the USA to study at Berklee College of Music, and since 1994, she has lived in Chicago. She collaborated with Michael and Randy Brecker and Jim Hall, and listeners of National Public Radio chose her album “Pastels” as one of the best albums of 1998.
Darek Oleszkiewicz
Jazz double bassist, composer, and educator from Los Angeles.
He was born in 1963 in Wrocław and came to Los Angeles in 1988. He studied at the California Institute of the Arts under Charlie Haden and later played and recorded with Brad Mehldau and Charles Lloyd. He teaches jazz at the University of Southern California.
Zbigniew Seifert
Jazz violinist (1946–1979).
He was born in 1946 in Kraków and mainly worked in Germany, but recorded a significant part of his work in America. With the American group Oregon, he recorded the album “Violin,” and for Capitol Records, the album “Passion” with John Scofield and Jack DeJohnette. He died in 1979 in Buffalo, New York, where he underwent cancer surgery.
Film Music
We have already described three composers from Polish lands in the guide on Polish roots in Hollywood. Born in Warsaw, Bronisław Kaper won an Oscar for the music of the film "Lili" and wrote the jazz standard "On Green Dolphin Street". Franz Waxman, born in Królewska Huta, now Chorzów, won two consecutive Oscars. Jan A.P. Kaczmarek from Konin received an Oscar for the music of "The Pianist" (2004) and passed away in 2024.
Kaper: Wikipedia
Waxman: Wikipedia · Spotify
Kaczmarek: Wikipedia
Henryk Wars (Henry Vars)
Composer of pre-war hits who wrote for Hollywood after the war (1902–1977).
He was born in 1902 in Warsaw and composed music for over 50 Polish films before the war, including the hit "Miłość ci wszystko wybaczy". He fought with the Anders Army and settled in the USA in 1947 as Henry Vars, writing music for American films and series, including "Flipper". He died in Beverly Hills, and his archive is kept by the Polish Music Center at the University of Southern California.
Krzysztof Komeda
Jazz pianist and composer, author of the music for "Rosemary's Baby" (1931–1969).
He was born in 1931 in Poznań as Krzysztof Trzciński. At the invitation of Roman Polanski, he moved to Los Angeles, signed a contract with Paramount Pictures, and composed the music for "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. He had an accident in Los Angeles and died in Warsaw in 1969.
Abel Korzeniowski
Film music composer working in Hollywood.
He was born in 1972 in Kraków and studied composition under Krzysztof Penderecki. He received Golden Globe nominations for the music of Tom Ford's "A Single Man" and Madonna's "W.E." in 2010 and 2012. Since 2017, he has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Zbigniew Preisner
Film music composer known for Krzysztof Kieślowski's films.
He was born in 1955 in Bielsko-Biała. He also wrote for American cinema, including the music for Agnieszka Holland's "The Secret Garden," produced by Francis Ford Coppola, and for "The Game of God," for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1992.
Pop, Rock, and Country
Pee Wee King
Country music star, co-author of "Tennessee Waltz" (1914–2000).
He was born in 1914 in Milwaukee as Julius Frank Kuczynski in a Polish-German family and started as an accordionist in his father's polka band. "Tennessee Waltz," written with Redd Stewart, reached number 1 on the charts in Patti Page's 1950 version and became the official song of the state of Tennessee in 1965. In 1974, King was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Liberace
Stage pianist and showman (1919–1987).
He was born in 1919 in West Allis near Milwaukee. His father was Italian, and his mother Frances, née Zuchowski, was of Polish descent and spoke Polish. He won two Emmy Awards and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Bobby Vinton
Singer, known as the "Polish Prince".
He was born in 1935 in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, in a Polish-Lithuanian family, and his mother's maiden name was Studzinski. Four of his singles reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Roses Are Red" and "Blue Velvet". In 1974, "My Melody of Love" with a Polish refrain (“Moja droga, ja cię kocham”) solidified his nickname, which he also titled his autobiography.
Ray Manzarek
Keyboardist and co-founder of The Doors (1939–2013).
He was born in 1939 in Chicago to Helena and Raymond Manczark, children of Polish immigrants. He stated that his grandfather came from Warsaw and emphasized, "I am Polish." With The Doors, he recorded "Light My Fire," the number 1 hit of 1967, and in 1993, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Peter Cetera
Vocalist and bassist of the band Chicago, later a solo artist.
He was born in 1944 in Chicago to a Polish-Hungarian family and played the accordion as a child, later joking that he was a "polka prodigy." He sang the number 1 hits "If You Leave Me Now" and "Hard to Say I’m Sorry," as well as the solo hit "Glory of Love." In 2016, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Chicago.
Neil Diamond
Singer and songwriter, one of the best-selling artists in U.S. history.
He was born in Brooklyn to a Jewish family. His father's family came from Poland, while his mother's family came from the Russian Empire. He wrote hits like "Sweet Caroline" and "Song Sung Blue," was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and received a Grammy for lifetime achievement in 2018.
Paul Stanley
Vocalist and guitarist of the band KISS.
His father was the son of Polish Jews, and his mother's family came from Germany. KISS has the most gold records according to RIAA of any American band, and in 2014, Stanley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band.
Pat Benatar
Rock vocalist, one of the faces of early MTV.
She was born in 1953 in Brooklyn as Patricia Andrzejewski. Her father came from a family of Polish immigrants, and Benatar is the surname of her first husband. Between 1981 and 1984, she won four consecutive Grammy Awards, and in 2022, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Steven Tyler
Vocalist of the band Aerosmith.
His maternal grandfather, Felix Czarnyszewicz, arrived in the USA in 1914 and changed his surname to Blancha. He came from the vicinity of Bobruisk, and his brother was the Polish émigré writer Florian Czarnyszewicz. According to documents found by genealogist Megan Smolenyak, his grandfather considered himself Polish. Aerosmith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Richie Sambora
Guitarist and co-writer of Bon Jovi hits.
He was born in 1959 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, as the son of Adam Sambora from a Polish family, and often mentioned his Polish grandparents. With Bon Jovi, he recorded number 1 hits "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin’ on a Prayer." He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band.
Peter Steele
Vocalist and bassist of the band Type O Negative (1962–2010).
He was born in 1962 in Brooklyn as Peter Ratajczyk. He stated that his father had Polish roots. The Type O Negative album "Bloody Kisses" achieved platinum status in the USA.
John Rzeznik
Vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter of the band Goo Goo Dolls.
He grew up in a Polish neighborhood in Buffalo. He recounted that his father was "very Polish," spoke to his grandmother exclusively in Polish, and that there was always a traditional Wigilia at home. His song "Iris" spent 18 weeks at the top of the Billboard radio chart in 1998, which was a record at the time, and in 2008, the Songwriters Hall of Fame awarded him the Hal David Starlight Award.
Jack White
Guitarist, vocalist, and producer, leader of The White Stripes.
He was born in 1975 in Detroit. His mother Teresa, née Bandyk, was the daughter of Polish immigrants, and his grandmother came from Lubzina near Ropczyce. At the Open’er Festival in Gdynia, he stated from the stage, "I am Polish," and in 2024, he wished his mother a happy birthday in Polish. He has won 12 Grammy Awards.
Karen O
Vocalist of the New York band Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
She was born in South Korea as Karen Orzolek, the daughter of a Korean mother and an American father of Polish descent. She stated that her father, born in Massachusetts, is "fully Polish." Her song "The Moon Song" from the film "Her" was nominated for an Oscar.
Krzysztof Klenczon
Co-founder of Czerwone Gitary and Trzy Korony (1942–1981).
He was born in 1942 in Pułtusk. In the early 1970s, he moved with his family to the USA and settled in Chicago, where he mainly performed in Polish clubs, and in 1977, under the pseudonym Christopher, he released the album "The Show Never Ends." At the end of February 1981, he was seriously injured in a car accident after a concert and died in Chicago in April of that year.
Polka
Polish-American polka is dance music of the descendants of Polish immigrants, not a transferred folk style from Poland. It is divided into Chicago style and Eastern style. The Chicago variant has a slower, more danceable tempo and leaves room for improvisation. Since the 1960s, it has been dominated by an energetic "push" with a heavily working accordion bellows, trumpets, and driving drums. The Eastern style, popular in Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania, is faster and has a larger brass section. One of its stars was Frank Wojnarowski, a violinist born in Sanok, Connecticut, whose "Jedzie Boat" from 1947 started the polka craze in New England.
Li’l Wally (Walter Jagiello)
Polka musician from Chicago, creator of the Chicago style of polka (1930–2006).
He was born in 1930 in Chicago as the son of Polish immigrants. In 1951, he founded Jay Jay Records, where he released over 150 albums, and shaped the slower, danceable Chicago style. In 1969, he was one of the first two musicians inducted into the Polka Music Hall of Fame, and in 1984, he performed for Pope John Paul II.
Eddie Blazonczyk
Vocalist and leader of The Versatones, "King of Polka" from Chicago (1941–2012).
He was born in 1941 in Chicago as the son of immigrants from Podhale, and he listened to highland music from childhood in the ballroom run by his parents. In 1963, he founded The Versatones, and his album "Another Polka Celebration" won a Grammy in 1987. In 1998, he received the National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor in the USA for folk art creators.
Since 1968, the tradition of polka has been nurtured by the International Polka Association from Chicago, one of the founders of which was Eddie Blazonczyk. It runs the Polka Music Hall of Fame, located above the Polonia Banquets hall in the Brighton Park neighborhood.
Polish Music on American Stages and Charts
Not everyone had to live in America to achieve success there. These names from Poland have made their mark in the history of American awards, charts, and concert halls.
Krzysztof Penderecki
Composer and conductor, four-time Grammy winner (1933–2020).
He was born in 1933 in Dębica. In the 1970s, he taught at Yale University, and the opera "Paradise Lost" was commissioned by the Lyric Opera of Chicago to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the USA. He won four Grammy Awards, the last one in 2017.
Witold Lutosławski
One of the most important composers of the 20th century (1913–1994).
He was born in 1913 in Warsaw. His Third Symphony was premiered in 1983 by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Georg Solti, and for this work, he received the Grawemeyer Award from the University of Louisville in 1985, the first in history.
Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
Composer, author of "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs" (1933–2010).
He was born in 1933 in Czernica near Rybnik. The recording of his Third Symphony released in 1992 by the American label Nonesuch, featuring soprano Dawn Upshaw, remained on the classical "Billboard" chart for over 100 weeks and became one of the biggest bestsellers in classical music.
Włodek Pawlik
Pianist and composer, the first Polish jazz musician to win a Grammy.
He was born in 1958 in Kielce. In 2014, his album "Night in Calisia," recorded with American trumpeter Randy Brecker and the Kalisz Philharmonic, won a Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.
Basia
Vocalist and songwriter blending pop, jazz, and bossa nova.
Basia Trzetrzelewska was born in Jaworzno, and she began her international career in the United Kingdom. Her biggest market turned out to be the United States, where her debut album "Time and Tide" (1987) achieved platinum status, and her records sold in millions of copies.
Behemoth
Polish metal band, regularly touring in the USA.
This is a band from Gdańsk, not musicians of Polish descent. Their album "The Satanist" debuted in 2014 at number 34 on the American Billboard 200 chart.
Several Generations of Polish Music in America
The stories from this list weave a narrative of several generations. Virtuosos and singers born on Polish soil, such as Paderewski, Sembrich, or Hofmann, built American musical life at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The sons of immigrants, like Gene Krupa, Pee Wee King, or Li’l Wally, created jazz, country, and polka in Polish neighborhoods in Chicago and Milwaukee. And their grandchildren, from Pat Benatar to Jack White, continue to remind from the stage where their families come from. More similar stories can be found in the guides on Polish roots in Hollywood and Polish athletes in the USA.
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