Slavko Avsenik was born on November 26, 1929 in Begunje na Gorenjskem, then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He is a Slovenian accordionist, composer and bandleader who is regarded as one of the defining figures of 20th century Alpine folk music. Slavko Avsenik began working as a musician in the late 1940s and composed his first pieces. In 1953, he founded the group Slavko Avsenik and his Original Oberkrainer in Begunje, which quickly became one of the most successful folk music groups in Europe. The classic line-up includes Slavko Avsenik (accordion), Vilko Avsenik (clarinet, composition), Franc Košir (trumpet), Anton Zupan (guitar) and Franc Šrimpf (bass). With the Original Oberkrainern, Slavko Avsenik coined the so-called Oberkrainer style, which combines polka and waltz forms with catchy melodies. The group performs internationally, particularly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Benelux countries, and is regularly featured on radio and television programs. The repertoire includes folk music, polkas and waltzes; stylistically, the ensemble moves between traditional alpine music and modern light music. Slavko Avsenik works with numerous musicians and has written more than 800 compositions. His best-known albums include Oberkrainer Musikanten (1960), Die schönsten Polkas und Walzer (1965) and Goldene Klänge (1970). Further successful releases followed over the decades, including 25 Years of Original Oberkrainer (1978) and The Greatest Successes (1993). The greatest international success is the polka "Trompetenecho", which has sold millions of copies worldwide and is considered one of the best-known pieces of folk music. Slavko Avsenik is recognized for his stylistic influence and is considered a central point of reference for Oberkrainer music. He died on July 2, 2015 in Begunje na Gorenjskem.
