Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname Polka King after starting his own band and label, has died at 70.

The Versatones, which picked up a Grammy in 1987, played their last show on December 31, 2011

His record label, Bel-Aire Recordings, and his son Eddie said Mr Blazonczyk died of natural causes on Monday at a hospital in the Chicago suburb of Palos Heights.

Mr Blazonczyk retired in 2001 after suffering a stroke and his son took over his band, Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones.

The band formed in 1962, after Mr Blazonczyk’s brief venture into pop music that landed him on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, and toured the US, Canada and Europe.

“He attracted so many people to the polka audience, whereas previously they were scared away by the word polka,” his son said.

“After hearing his style of the music they weren’t afraid of polka anymore. They knew it wasn’t She’s Too Fat For Me or Roll Out the Barrel. They knew it was an evolution of the music.”

The Versatones, which picked up a Grammy in 1987, played their last show on December 31, 2011.

Mr Blazonczyk described his father as a kind of music mogul, a founding member of the International Polka Association, a disc jockey and polka music promoter who ran a publishing company and music school.

Mr Blazonczyk was born to Polish immigrant parents on July 12, 1941 in Chicago.

His parents operated music clubs in the city and he started playing in the 1950s with Happy Eddie And His Polka Jesters, performing at Polish festivities.

Mr Blazonczyk played many instruments but preferred the bass and sang lyrics in both English and Polish.

Some of his biggest hits include Angeline Be Mine Polka and Poor Boy Polka.