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The New Melody Kings was organized by Jerry Ozipko in 2015 in honour of his violinist father John, who founded and led the original Edmonton-based Melody Kings band between the early 1940s and 1979.

Classically trained violinist Jerry Ozipko has returned to his Ukrainian ethnic roots with the formation of The New Melody Kings. The name is his means of honouring his late father John, who established the original Melody Kings in the early 1950s. He received his early experiences with Ukrainian music in his youth at the invitation of his father.

Having performed in various locations across Canada, the United States and Europe, he has spent most of his career as a music teacher, fostering the development of instrumental playing skills among both youth and retired individuals.

Besides many previous appearances at Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, Jerry also performs regularly at a variety of local seniors' residences.

Guitarist Don Eastcott holds a very impressive musical pedigree. He began his career in his younger days playing with J. R. Cash (the "Man in Black") and jamming with Charles Hardin Holley (Buddy Holly). More recently, he has occasionally toured with Dwight Yoakam.

He is a well-noted and respected songwriter by musicians in Nashville, as well as locally. You will recognize many of his songs through the recordings of many well-known country music artists.

Don enjoys performing regularly at many Edmonton seniors' residences.

Accordionist Terry Triska has a vast background of experience as a member of a wide variety of Ukrainian bands through the years. He has performed throughout Western Canada at festivals and fundraisers, special events, private parties, nursing homes and senior's lodges. He is also a founding member of the Edmonton Accordion Festival.

He performs a wide repertoire consisting of popular dance favourites, old time dance selections as well as soft, easy listening music for the less active events. Terry enjoys performing as a soloist and as just another member of a group of musicians making music together.

Ivan Oziebko (Ozubko) and his wife Euphemia Harasyma, along with their two young daughters Mary and Annie, came to Canada from Stubno, Halychyna (Galicia), a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (from the territory of present-day Ukraine) in 1903. Three other relatives' families, including Ivan's father- and mother-in-law were accompanying them.

Ivan, a farmer by vocation, as well as a violin player, settled on their first homestead at Del Norte, near Innisfree, Alberta. Their family soon grew into nine individuals, including four sons (Joseph, Ivan, Vasyl and Michaeo) and three more daughters (Katie, Parascavia and Helen). Joseph, Parascavia (Jennie), Ivan (John, Jr.), and Michaelo (Mike) all eventually learned to play violin as well. Another son, Vasyl (William), who only also played violin a bit, was drawn more to the guitar and, eventually, the banjo.

In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, in order to help support the family, John, Jennie, Bill and Kashka (Katie, on the drums), formed a family musical group that played all manner of social occasions, including dances and weddings in the area. They proved to be an extremely popular depression band at a time when the need for public entertainment was deep and intense.

In the early 1940s sons John, Bill and Mike moved to Edmonton to find work. Very soon, John formed an orchestra that played regularly at the Blue Hall (a very public dance gathering place near downtown Edmonton), into the 1950s. For nearly a decade, the five-to seven-piece orchestra had no name, yet drew enthusiastic crowds to their dances because of the quality of their music. John ultimately named his group the Melody Kings in the early 1950s, and they moved to become a legendarily popular dance orchestra at the Ukrainian Centre Hall on 97th Street, and eventually at many Alberta communities.

The list of musicians who played with the Melody Kings in the early years featured John on violin and drums, brothers Mike and Jim Serink (saxophonists), Mike Ozipko (guitar), Peter Serink (accordion) and Steve Serink (drums). Over the decades some others of the many members of the band included: Bill Sabrowski (tenor saxophone), Mike Sabrowski (alto saxophone), Jim Strembitsky (saxophones), Bill Ozipko (banjo), Reuben Missal (accordion), Ed Wasyk (guitar), Eugene Warawa (saxophone), Nick Welleschuk (accordion), 'Smiling Charlie' Kaminsky (banjo) and Jerry Ozipko, John's son. The Melody Kings suddenly ended in February 1979 after more than thirty years when John Ozipko passed away from a massive heart attack just two days after the group played at the Norwood Legion.