Kupczak, Jan

[Born and?] lived in Sopotnia Mała [SE of Żywiec]; According to the leader of regional ensemble "Ziemia Żywiecka", Jan Brodka (*1945), a very amiable man [who introduced me, in 2004, to "Miodula" (a local honey-based liqueur); ws], "Peperowiec" played with passion, and whenever he could. His nickname came from the fact that in Żywiec there lived once a fairly rich man named Peperek or Peperka, who founded a music society. Mountaineer Jan Kupczak joined this elite society and became a "Peperowiec". He played with humour and liked to drink at times to maintain his good mood. He always wore a quarter of vodka tucked behind his trouser belt, because, as he asserted swearingly, "in order to play, one needs to drink from time to time. His favourite songs were bawdy, which, interestingly, beautifully harmonised with the ribald way of his personality and physical image"; NB: ➺ Józef Maślanka.