WALLY YANCHYCKI - Recipient of the UMA Legendary Achievement Award 2010, and the UMA Lifetime Achievement Award 2015.

At age 15 Wally started playing dances and weddings, where he played rhythm and steel guitar with the Sunset Valley Boys. While attending Teachers’ College in Winnipeg he entertained regularly at the campus canteen and also played on the CJOB Western Hour, where he was voted winner of the “ King of the Saddle”. Then he played steel guitar and sang with the CKX Rhythm Ranch Boys, doing a weekly half hour show every Saturday on CKX Brandon. At the Brandon Provincial Exhibition the band played two shows daily, broadcast over CKX. In 1962 Wally played rhythm, steel guitar and sang with Peter Lamb and the CKDM Sundown Pals, featured weekly over CKDM Dauphin. With this band he recorded four albums and toured the three western provinces with stage shows and dances. In the late 70’s he played guitar and sang with The Serenaders. In 1984 he joined his two sons, Dennis and Rick, in a band called Sidewinder, where he played fiddle and sang. After his sons became too involved in their careers, he and Julian Warwaruk formed the band Parkland Country, where he is presently playing violin, guitar, and singing. Among the numerous bookings in Manitoba, the band was featured a couple times at the Zabava on the Red River Exhibition Grounds in Winnipeg. Parkland Country, consisting of Wally, Julian Warwaruk, Phil Wilk, and John Spaller is still active playing dances, weddings, and entertaining in Care Homes.

Wally and his wife, Frances, played and sang on different tours throughout Western Canada They, also, made guest appearances singing on TV in Brandon and Yorkton. Some memorable times in Wally’s music career was playing on special occasions with renown recording artists namely, Johnny Mooring from the Maritimes, Victor Pasowisty from Toronto, Jimmy Watsco from Alberta, and Al Cherney from the TV Show Country Hoedown from Toronto. Also, he jammed with bands from Nashville and other areas while vacationing and touring in the United States. On May 29, 2010 Wally was honoured by U.M.A with the Legendary Achievement Award and a Certificate of Recognition and on August 2, 2015 received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Much of the musicians’ memorabilia is presently displayed at the Rodes Hall Museum located on the Silo Grounds in Dauphin. Along with playing regularly with his band, Wally, also, filled in with many other bands - The Interlake Polka Kings, Polka Drifters from Winnipeg, and the Russell Orchestra, B&B Ranch Boys, Trail Riders, Four Seasons, and others in the local area.