MIKEY DEE

Mikey Dee began his musical career at the age of 4, first learning the guitar, bass and tamburitza instruments from his grandfather Joe Pavlecic. He soon became a regular in the Arcadians band playing drums. Then in the third grade, Mikey began to read music and studied clarinet and tenor saxophone. Later, in ninth grade, Mikey played string bass in the high school symphony orchestra and earned second chair in the PMEA All-District Orchestra.

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He first organized his own band "The Mikey Dee Band" in 1988. In 1990, he recorded his first record "Don't Cry My Darling Polka" and "Euclid Vet's Polka".  Mikey Dee has performed in many tamburitza bands through the years (Novi Glas, Svi Skupa, Tri Pajdasi, Jorgovan, Johnny Krizancic,  Continental Dukes, Libby, Radost, Veseli, Golubi, Ponovo, Gypsy Stringz) and played with the Penn Sembles under the direction of Ron Rendulic. He has had his own tamburitza band (Mikey Dee Tamburica Stars) since 2004. He also played with Marty Kapugi at the 2000 TAA Extravaganza in St. Louis. Mikey Dee has also provided tamburitza studio tracks for Grammy winner Walter Ostanek, Bob Kravos and Johnny Koenig. In 2014, Mikey Dee served as Chairman and Master of Ceremonies for the TAA Tamburitza Association of America Extravaganza in Pittsburgh.

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In the polka field, Mikey played bass and keyboards for two years with Jack Tady and the Tady Bears, traveling everywhere from Chicago to the Catskills. He has also performed with Frankie Yankovic, Dick Tady, Walter Ostanek, Polka Quads, Ray Skovenski, Jack Fronhofer,  John Huchrowski's Ol' Goats, Gene Peterson Trio, Delmars, Rythm-Airs, The Barons, Dorothy and Co., Sensations, Lite Touch, Sounder and Harold Betters. 

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In 2008, 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2018 Mikey Dee was selected to perform in the stage band for the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame awards show, and inducted into its Hall of Fame on The Trustees Honor Roll on November 25, 2017.

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In 1998, The Mikey Dee Band recorded "Join the Fun- The Pittsburgh Pirates Polka" in honor of the local baseball club, and got local air play from Bill Cardille, Jack Bogut and WDVE-FM. 

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Mikey has made numerous performances on live radio for 810-AM (George Bowes) and Frank Powaski's Polka marathon broadcasts (620-AM) In 2007, The Mikey Dee Polka Band recorded a TV show in Cleveland, OH called "Polka Polka Polka" for Time Warner cable systems. As of September 4, 2021, Mikey Dee hosts his own weekly online "Tamburitza USA" hour on threeriversbroadcasting.com

 

Mikey Dee has recorded and produced twenty-two albums and numerous singles to date, ranging from polkas and tamburitza music, Christmas, country-western and standards, and was a studio musician for Oakhill records and B & M Studio and a recording producer and advisor at McKeesport's Soundscape Studio.

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In 2000 through 2022, Mikey Dee was the Entertainment coordinator and stage manager for the City of McKeesport's annual International Village festival, serving as Master of Ceremonies in 2004-2022. Because of popularity in the music field, Mikey Dee was chosen by his hometown government officials to MC the huge "Salute to Santa" Christmas parade (2008-2009, 2016-2022) and Sportsman Banquet (2007). 

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The Mikey Dee Polka Band recording "BANG!" received three nominations from the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame in 2009 (Recording of the Year, Band of the Year, Best New Song) and from the Polka America Corporation (2010 Recording of the Year).

The 2015 "In Your Dreams" recording was nominated for Recording of the Year, Best New Song, Band of the Year and Musician of the Year.

 

Currently, Mikey performs around 400 shows a year, playing everything from oldies to ballroom, polkas to tamburitza,  and is considered a premium senior entertainer in the tri-state area.

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Mikey Dee has been twice featured on the front page of the McKeesport Daily News, a feature article in the DN in 2012 and 2014 and an article in the "IN COMMUNITY" magazine in 2013. Mikey Dee was nominated for "Man of the Year" by the UMPAPA club in 2012 and 2014, winning the honor in 2018.

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In June 2017, Mikey Dee played the accordion player in a wedding scene in the motion picture "The Cookie Table". 

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He also arranged music for the Delmars Band, Penn Sembles, Don Wojtila (Polkas on Broadway CD-PHOF Record of the Year winner - 2006) and Grammy winning participant Dick Tady Orchestra. He was also a musical director and performing member of Doo Wop group The Tempos (#1 hit "See You in September" - 1959).