biographies

Barry Niccolai

Barry Niccolai started playing the accordion at the age of eight taking lessons from the late Ed Czerwinsky from Denbo, PA. Barry started playing professionally at the age of 15 with an area combo called Randy’s Royals. For the past 30 years he has performed with a local band, The Best of Times. The “Push” is the culmination of his dream of playing with a polka band. He recently concluded a 31 year career as Associate Vice President of Student Affaris and Dean at California University of Pa., and is now Assistant Executive Director of the Centerville Clinics, Inc.

Frank Stetar

Frank Stetar, leader of the Mon Valley Push, is a native of the Mon Valley. Starting his musical career at the age of three, Frank receieved his bachelor’s in Music and Master of arts from IUP and is currently a PhD candidate at RMU. Frank is responsible for the arranging of the Push’s music and playing trumpet. After growing up listening to Polish Music at Fiedor’s Grove, Seven Springs, Conneaut Lake etc, forming the Push was the next step in the love for the music. Frank currently resides in Daisytown, PA with his wife Audreya and sons Stush and Alek.

Steve “Mole” Molish

Steve Molish of Daisytown PA, is the only band member with previous polka experience. Playing accordion for the Melody Kings and the Imperials, Steve Retired from the polka field many years ago only to come out of retirement and play with the Mon Valley Push.

Paul Sheppick

Paul Sheppick joined MVP as the bass player in the Spring of 2010 as the youngest member of the band. Paul also plays the guitar (his instrument of choice) which he hs been studying privately for seven years. Coming from a musical family, Paul’s grandfather, Warren Sheppick also played in a band with MVP member Barry Niccolai. Joining MVP provided Paul with the opprotunity to learn a different tye of music as well as a new instrument in the bass guitar. He also has been accepted to California University of Pennsylvania Majoring in Music Technology.

Nate Wright

Nate Wright plays trumpet with Mon Valley Push. He is a Process Control Engineer for the United States Steel Corporation. Nate has been playing brass instruments since a very young age and has always been very active in music. He is the former president of the California University Bands and was a member of the DCI Open Class Corps, Capital Regiment. While at California University of Pennsylvania, Nate received a degree in Computer Engineering Technology and a minor in Music. He is also an assistant marching band instructor at California Area and formerly Peters Township and the Pittsburgh City Schools. Nate joined Push in the winter of 2011. While Nate was exposed to Polka at a young age and was involved in many other performing groups, from “Pop Punk” to Jazz, this is his first Polka band.

RJ Bogdon

R.J. Bogdon joined Mon Valley Push,on drums, in the fall of 2011. He began his musical career learning trumpet in elementary school. He began playing polkas with his brother and cousins in the Polka Bees. In the mid 80’s he taught himself how to play the drums and began performing with Matt Wasielewski’s Polka Jets while still in high school. He later joined Energy. After a 10 year absence from playing polka music, in 2004 he joined John Stevens Doubleshot where he recorded 2 cd’s. RJ has had the honor of sitting in with many of the top polka bands including TPM, Polka Family and TBC just to name a few. You can catch RJ playing a few tunes on trumpet as well as bass. RJ works for UPS and resides in Heidelberg with his wife Heather and daughter Alivia.

Mon Valley Push Player