Stan Borys – history. From theatre stages to international festivals

Stan Borys – a legend of the Polish music scene, a versatile artist, a poet. His life is a fascinating story of a constant pursuit of artistic excellence—from youthful fascinations with theatre and poetry, through pioneering achievements in Polish rock, to an international career and life across two continents. What did his journey from modest beginnings near Rzeszów to stages in Poland and the United States look like? Which songs made him unforgettable? Let’s explore the remarkable story of a man whose art continues to move and inspire generations.

History of Stan Borys

Stanisław Guzek, better known as Stan Borys, was born on September 3, 1941, in Załęże near Rzeszów. From an early age, he was interested in music and poetry, learning to play the guitar and clarinet. He also took part in numerous recitation competitions, achieving top positions at national contests.

His passion for art led him to join the Rybałci Theatre in Rzeszów in 1958, where at the age of 17 he played the leading role in Cyrulik sewilski.

In 1960, he became a student—and later a graduate—of the theatre department at the Folk University in Wzdów. After completing his studies, he performed at the Poetry Theatre in Rzeszów. During his military service in the early 1960s, an event occurred that revealed his creative nature and undoubtedly influenced his later musical career—he founded an amateur poetry theatre.

This urge to create something of his own clearly resonated with him. After completing his military service, he founded the Symbol theatre group at the Teacher Training College in Rzeszów. It was there that he achieved one of his first successes—together with the group, he won third place at a student theatre review for his concept and direction of the play Przedawnienie.

During this time, he also developed a strong interest in poetry. His writing proved successful, as evidenced by the publication of his works in Nowiny Rzeszowskie and his award in the One Poem Tournament. Guzek kept creating—more and more. So how did he turn to music?

Stan Borys – music

In August 1965, he founded a big beat band together with guitarist and vocalist Tadeusz Nalepa. They gave it a rather controversial name for the time—Blackout. The band’s first performance took place shortly after, on September 3, 1965, at the “Łącznościowiec” club in Rzeszów.

The lineup changed over time, but ultimately included Tadeusz Nalepa, Mira Kubasińska, Stanisław Guzek, Krzysztof Dłutkowski, Robert Świercz, and Józef Hajdacz. Although the group did not last long—it disbanded in 1967—it managed to record the album Blackout and several smaller releases. The band’s most famous song is Anna, later performed solo by Stan Borys.

In 1968, Stan Borys began collaborating with the band Bizony. A year later, they released the album To ziemia. The record combined elements typical of Polish music of the 1960s—big beat and jazz. The opening track, To ziemia, became one of the most recognizable pieces in his career.

The 1970s were an extremely productive period in his artistic life. He performed at numerous festivals and competitions, achieving high rankings—such as Bratislavská Lýra, the International Variétés Festival in Rennes, the festival in Ostend, and the Song Olympiad in Athens.

Despite his many performances, he also found time to create music. During this period, he released albums such as Krzyczę przez sen (1970), Szukam przyjaciela (1974), and Stan Borys (1975).

He did not abandon theatre either—he performed at the Syrena Theatre in Warsaw. Few artists could balance so many activities at once, yet Guzek managed it successfully. It seems that everything he touched, he approached with dedication and effectiveness.

In 1975, however, a chapter came to an end. Stan Borys left the Syrena Theatre and soon emigrated to the United States. There, he worked as a taxi driver but never gave up his love for music. He continued his artistic activity, performing in Polish community clubs in New Jersey and New York.

During that time, he was particularly involved in theatre work. In 2004, he performed at the Syracuse Festival, one of the largest Polish festivals in the northeastern United States. However, relatively little is known about his artistic output from that period.

Since 2004, Stan Borys has lived both in Łomianki, Poland, and in Las Vegas, USA. His partial return to Poland led to a collaboration in 2006 with the Wrocław-based band Imię Jego 44. In 2007, the single Znieczulica was released as a result of this collaboration. This helped refresh his artistic image and introduced his music to new audiences, blending classic sounds with modern arrangements.

In recent years, the artist has struggled with health issues that have affected his activity. Nevertheless, he continues his artistic work whenever possible.

Stan Borys is an artist with an exceptionally rich body of work, spanning both theatre and music. His remarkable story has inspired generations. Despite life’s challenges, he remains a symbol of passion, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of artistic excellence.

Stan Borys – trivia

• In 2024, he appeared as a guest in the seventh episode of Szansa na sukces. Opole 2024, where young artists performed his songs as a tribute
• He practices Taoism and has long been interested in Indian culture and yoga
• In 2001, a processed fragment of his song Chmurami zatańczy sen was used in the chorus of the track Głucha noc by rapper Peja
• He has been awarded multiple honors, including the Silver and Gold Medals for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis, the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, and the Honorary Badge for Merit to the Podkarpackie Voivodeship
• He appeared in two films: Uciec jak najbliżej (1972) and Historia polskiego rocka (2008)
• He is the author of the book Daleko donikąd, in which he presents his poetry

Written by: Paweł Skarzyński
Photos: Artist’s Facebook page