Music promoter.
Born at Menzie on 15 October 1924 to Angelica Peleshok (1899-1989) and Michael Groshek (1904-1991), his family settled in Ontario, living in London and Kirkland Lake. In 1950 he married Olga Swidinsky (1925-2004) and they went on to have four children. They made their home in Winnipeg, where he worked as a sales representative for various Winnipeg record companies.
He noticed that Canadian Ukrainian music was being played at weddings, barn dances, and other social functions in Manitoba, but was not available for people to listen to in their homes. He formed Regis Records and produced the first recording of Canadian Ukrainian music, featuring Jim Gregrash performing the Ukrainian Wedding March, a piece that was popular among the Ukrainian community. The Regis label recorded and marketed many local musicians of the day.
In 1962, he launched V Records, featuring artists such as Mickey and Bunny, Tommy Buick, Peter Lamb, Peter Hnatiuk, Peter Picklyk, D-Drifters, Stan Kaskiw, Our Folks, Royal Polka Kings, Primrose Trio, Mike Domish, Anne Kraichey, Roy Mykytyshyn, The Squires featuring Neil Young, and Female Beat. As business increased, he purchased UK Records, bringing the Interlake Polka Kings and Polka Drifters on board. Meanwhile, his wife opened Ethnic Records and Gifts, a store that she managed for 18 years.
He continued to promote Ukrainian music, heading up Polka Warehouse on CKND-TV and organizing tsymbaly (a Ukrainian stringed instrument) contests in various cities. Much of his life’s work can be found archived with Bohdan Medwisky Folklore at the University of Alberta. He valued his cultural community and served on the executives of several Ukrainian organizations, especially the Ukrainian Canadian Veterans Branch 141, where he received a lifetime membership in 1990. For relaxation, he enjoyed gardening and fishing.
He died at Winnipeg on 23 August 2007.
Obituary [Olga Groshak], Winnipeg Free Press, 14 February 2004.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 1 September 2007.
“Alex Groshek,” Sydney Snape Family Tree, Ancestry.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 25 September 2024
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