In 1928, Gary, Indiana was a young city, supported by the growing steel industry and home to one of America's largest Slavic communities. Drawn to this region from the former Yugoslavia, Milan's parents, of Serbian and Croatian ethnicities, carried with them their tradition of tamburitza music. Introduced to that genre's performance by a family friend at four years of age, Milan developed a life-long attachment to tamburitza. Though this commitment was briefly interrupted by an exploration of country and western music in his early years, Milan was lured back to tamburitza by returning World War II veterans, performing as a rhythm player in their ensemble.

Here is a vintage video clip of tamburitza music.

Glossary of Tamburitza Terms

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