The Western Senators

Saskatchewan's Grammy Nominated Polka Band, The Western Senators originated in Calgary, Alberta in 1973. After watching a western conference playoff game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Saskatchewan won...) a group of musicians went down the basement and commenced to playing Cleveland style polka music. Several bottles of CC later, it was decided that since the music sounded so good, the group should journey to Edmonton the following weekend to cut an album.

A week later, the boys in the band headed off to Project 70 Studios in Edmonton and cut an album, which was nominated album of the year by the Canadian Country Music Association in 1977. The release party for the album took place in three centres...Regina's Trianon Ballroom, Yorkton's Holiday Inn, and the Red Barn, a huge dancehall on the outskirts of Edmonton, Alberta. To celebrate the release, the group invited a special guest artist to join them for the tour...America's Polka King, Frankie Yankovic. The tour sold out two weeks in advance, the group sold all 1000 albums and so began a musical journey that now has topped 40 years, and counting.

The Western Senators now have 24 albums, 23 DVDs, 82 PolkaRama Television Shows, and a Grammy nomination to their credit. They have been featured at Minot`s Norsk Høstfest every year since 2006, have made five appearances at the Kimberley Accordion Festival, have appeared at the Cleveland Polka Hall of Fame Awards show, and regularly headline at casinos across Western Canada and at Danceland, Manitou Beach...Canada`s last grand dancehall.