On this day (February 18) in 1914, Pee Wee King was born Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski in Abrams, Wisconsin. He learned to play accordion from his father, a polka musician, at a young age. Later, he and his band backed Gene Autry, who gave him the nickname Pee Wee. King is credited with elevating the Grand Ole Opry by introducing matching stage attire, a well-rehearsed repertoire, and union musicians to the show.
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King made his musical debut playing accordion in his father’s polka band when he was 15 years old. Soon after that, he changed his name to Frankie King after the popular polka bandleader Wayne King. Then, he formed a band–Frankie King & the King’s Jesters…