Inducted - Pittsburgh 2008
Julia "Honey" Zimmerman was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to Jennie and Ranko Trivanovich. The 7th of nine children, Honey and her family moved to Cleveland in 1941. Ranko went out to buy food for the family and found out John Bencic was selling his farcaš instruments. He came home with a carload and with his great tenor voice started teaching his young family to play and sing. Honey was four years old when she was showing a keen interest, so brother Ned tuned up a small guitar to open D chord and showed her how to hold it on her lap. With the left hand on a handle of a kitchen knife, she would slide the handle up and down the strings and soon could distinguish the sounds of chords. Her right hand held a pick she could strum and sing Ja Sam Majko.
At five years, Honey was taught to play chords on a farcaš bugarija. By seven, she was playing and singing 2- and 3-part harmonies with the 'big kids'. There was never a day without music being played in the house. In the summer, they would play on the porch and entertain the neighborhood. The civil defense would shut all the lights for the neighborhood, so Honey learned to remember words and chords because it was so dark. Immersed in the church, St. Sava, they pioneered tambura music with the organization of the first Plavi Jadran and with the Trivanovich Sisters.
At 12 years old, Honey became the youngest member of Njegosh Choir at the urging of the director Milan Bajich, who later became ordained and was the priest for Kansas City. She was the alto soloist for several years. Honey was invited to join Kay Semina, a sit-down, adult Croatian band and played with Kay for several years. At the same time, the Trivanovich Sisters were organized, including Vi, Angie, Jane, and Honey. They played at small parties, family things, church functions, and had switched to the Sremski system of tambura. Honey married Jack Zimmerman and had 10 children. She is the grandmother of 15 and great grandmother of one. Jack was a big support and without his help she couldn't have pursued her music career.
In 1960, the Trivanovich Sisters added Mickey on 2nd brać and Jane retired. The band found much favor and were very popular. Two long-play albums and two 45 rpm records were released and are still available in jukeboxes today. Vi started writing songs, including Mihalja, Jedinog Ljubav, and Ej Cura Mala. In 1974, they represented Yugoslavia at the Ohio State Fair. In 1990, they produced the first all-tambura video, a limited edition. They basically retired at that time, but continued to play for private parties and charity functions.
In 1978 Honey organized Seceri. They played the 1979 TAA Extravaganza to a standing ovation. They played the college circuit, Kent State University, Gambir College, and the National Folk Festival. A black-face musical in Chicago was produced and directed by Mickey. Seceri played together for four years.
In 1996, Honey called the members of the Danice Orchestra and made arrangements to meet and play some music. They liked the sound. Honey asked Mickey to join them and Šarena was born. They have participated in 11 Extravaganzas and have a long list of musical accomplishments, including three CDs, two CDs performing with Kosovo Men's Choir, and a documentary film about early Johnstown ("The Children of Lazo's Grove") by Dr. Andrei Simich and wife Dr. Maria Simich. Šarena was instrumental in getting a mini-Extravaganza in Cleveland and had the first sing-a-long, play-a-long, and worked on the committees to make the event successful. They conducted a workshop in Reno (2007) and will lead another this year (2008). All seasoned musicians, the musicians of Šarena have all taught tambura groups, traveled from San Francisco to Delaware, from east to west and north to south. Šarena has YouTube performances and a website that has sold their albums around the world. If you count all-female tambura orchestras since the year 1900, Honey has been directly involved with three of the most popular and longest lasting bands of her 65 years. She is living proof that you can have a family and have other outside interests and still play tambura. Her love of tamburitza music knows no bounds and is deeply embedded in her heart. Her children also play tambura and sing as well as play professionally in the country western genre.
Currently, Honey and her sister Mickey are teaching the younger generation of the Trivanovich Family. They play only for charity, the church, and family functions. They have played the Medina Cancer Relay for the past two years.
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