Bio

Chris Rybak - one of the most popular accordion entertainers in Texas - can be found performing all across the state throughout the year. Combining his love of music, strong Czech Heritage, and arousing charisma, this accordion cowboy has what it takes to entertain audiences through his showmanship and fresh enthusiastic musical style. Chris's show utilizes his talents on the accordion, along with keyboards, a trumpet and vocals.

Rybak has charmed countless audiences of all ages, opinions and musical tastes, as he plays over 150 dates a year that include everything from the Texas Folklife Festival in San Antonio, the German Wurstfest in New Braunfels, Labor Day's Czech West Fest in Central Texas, NAMM Shows in Austin and Anaheim, CA, and the Texas Renaissance Fest in Plantersville (near Houston), just to name a few. He’s taken his music multiple times to Europe, including appearances in the Czech Republic, Germany and Slovakia (the homeland of his beautiful wife Edita).

With influences on his music as varied as that of Hank Williams, Garth Brooks, Flaco Jimenez, Myron Floren, Floyd Cramer, and George Strait, it’s no wonder that he is capturing the hearts of thousands of people across Texas.

Now here's a little background on how it all started ...

Chris was surrounded by music since he was born. His Dad, Leroy, has had a Polka band for over 30 years. After founding the Red Ravens, Leroy then moved on and formed his current band, Leroy Rybak’s Swinging Orchestra. Chris’s Mom, Joyce, brought Chris to all of the band’s performances and dances so Chris had a first row view of how the music was played. At first he was mesmerized with the trumpet, performing on stage with his own toy trumpet and acting like a big musician along with the other band members.

Around the age of 8, Chris took lessons on the piano, but after a year he had to stop playing because his parents didn’t have a piano at the time for him to practice on at home. He would just play on a small keyboard and practice by himself. By age 12, he developed a love for the accordion, inspired by the members of his Dad’s band. His parents bought him a used $50 accordion and Chris learned how to play several songs on it in just a matter of days. It was his aunt Cyndi’s wedding that led him to play at his first performance.

During his teenage years, Chris played for a high-school marching band on trumpet and accordion, winning one competition after another. By age 14, Chris was an often requested guest performer at the country music shows all over Texas. After having many requests for an album, he recorded his first cassette tape at the age of 15, called ‘Polka & Waltz Instrumentals‘. He brought 50 of these tapes with him to his next performance at the Yoakum Country Music U.S.A. Show, and sold all of them within the first 30 minutes. His second one, with the title ‘I love to Polka’, came out at age 16, and the third one at age 18, was called ‘Let’s Have a Party’. By 18, with the three recordings and hundreds of performances under his belt, he was able to buy a big dually truck with his own earned money. That’s when he realized that his love of music had a big potential. He didn’t want to do anything else ... just play on the stage and be a star.

His high energy style of accordion music has attracted a lot of attention ...

In 1993, Chris received the NEW DAWN AWARD from the Texas Polka Music Association. Rybak's eclectic mix of Cajun, country and Tex-Mex music with the traditional sounds of polka have also caught serious attention from some serious people. In 1999 he signed a record contract with Mike Daily, best known in his role as steel guitarist for country legend George Strait. After signing with Daily's Glad Music Co. record label, Rybak recorded his self-titled debut album, released in 1999.

This debut album received rave reviews from radio stations and press, including Texas Monthly's columnist Joe Nick Patoski. Joe stated, "That's precisely what Chris Rybak's self-titled CD is all about: Bohemian-German hybrids that reflect his hometown roots (Hallettsville, in the heart of the Texas Polka Belt), including standards like "All by Myself" (sung in Czech), "German Waltz" (sung in German), and "Jambalaya" juxtaposed with renderings of "Don't Squeeze My Sharmon" and "I Want to Dance With You." But when he throws "Hey Baby Que Paso," the National Anthem of San Antonio, into the mix, with backing vocals provided by the late Doug Sahm, Rybak demonstrates he's got the right stuff to take the accordion to the next level of Texas cross-cultural fusion."

Chris Rybak's second album under the Glad Music label, entitled 'Accordion Time', was released in 2001. This recording once again featured songs closely related to his European roots, such as the much requested "Shiner Song", "Fancy Pants", and "In Heaven There Is No Beer". Rounding out the album included favorites such as "Waltz Across Texas", Margaritaville", and his much requested "Guacamole", with harmony vocals provided by Texas Tornadoes legend, Augie Meyers (who also authored the song). Now with the success of both of these albums, Chris is looking forward to sharing his music once again with future recordings. Currently he is in the process of producing his next album.

On the Road ...

Chris Rybak's performance trail includes festivals of all types, country clubs, colleges, restaurants, dances, picnics, state and county fairs, weddings, corporate functions, country music shows, private parties, and more - basically anywhere there's a stage and an audience willing to kick off their shoes and dance. He plays a variety of music from Czech/German polkas and waltzes, country, and gospel, to his style of toe-tapping Cajun and Tex-Mex music.

Chris has been the featured entertainer on a Caribbean cruise back in 1998, where he became the hit of the ship’s entertainment, and was nicknamed the "Accordion Cowboy." He also set a record for being the first entertainer to perform in all lounges on board the ship Enchanted Isle. Chris also performed on an Alaskan Polka Cruise from May 30 - June 6, 2007, aboard Carnival Cruise Line's Spirit ship. Currently, Chris and his wife Edita are getting ready for a tour to 5 amazing countries in Europe - Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. Join Edita & Chris for this fun-filled adventurous trip to see beautiful scenery, learn new traditions and maybe even find out where your ancestors came from. Call (512) 963-6660 for more info.

In July of 2006, Chris was asked to demonstrate Roland's V-Accordion (the world's first completely digital accordion using sound modeling technology) at the Summer NAMM Session in Austin, TX. He was chosen for the variety of styles he performs and the charisma he projects with audiences. In November of 2006, Chris took his performing up to Branson, MO where he joined Moe Bandy, the Hughes Brothers, as well as a perfomance at the Yakov Smirnoff Theater and various other stages. Then in January of 2007, Chris once again demonstrated the Roland V-Accordion at the Winter NAMM Session in Anaheim, CA, the Austin Summer NAMM, and then showed off the accordion in Alaska. Chris is currently a Product Specialist for the Roland V-Accordion Series and is touring Texas demonstrating the digital accordions. Through his energetic accordion playing, Rybak hopes to bring the accordion back as a mainstream instrument and keep the polka tradition of the Germans and Czechs alive.

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Chris Rybak performs with passion, fire, commitment, and skill. Already recognized as a true accordion player, you play your instrument with even more fire and skill. "For me, it's just a matter of getting more comfortable in my own skin," Rybak says.