Jim Holubar was born on February 27th, 1917 in Omaha, Nebraska. He attended grade school at Assumption, and went to Omaha South High for high school. He took lessons from Fred Elias as many have.

Jim started playing professionally while in high school when he joined Eddie Vlasek’s band. He was 17 at the time. The band was on the road playing Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Jim went to the service in 1945 where he was with an Army band in Germany: The 114th Army Band. Jim was in the service for a little over a year when the war ended in everybody went home. They Army bandleader wanted him to make a career out of the Army but Jim wanted to get home and back to the band business.

In the late 40s after the service, Jim played many of the top bands such as Hovorka, Sparta, Golden Prague, you name it! In the 50s, Jim played the old school of hard knocks as most of us in the music business know it “Joe Chop’s.” Jim played at Chop’s for approximately six years. He worked with Charlie Kucera, Leo Daskaweis and Miles Mucha.

The Charlie Kucera Orchestra was going really strong at the time and decided he wanted Jim as his trumpet player. He was with the Charlie Kucera Orchestra probably the longest. When Charlie pasted on, the band continued on as the Eddie Janak Orchestra.

Jim then teamed up with a fellow by the name of Bob Polivka, and was regarded as one of the top two trumpet teams in the area.

In the 70s, Jim hooked up with Frank Kostka Sr. and worked with Frank until about the mid-70s. Due to an operation in 1975, he was unable to continue with his playing career, and it did not come easy to Jim.

Source: Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony