His specialties were the songs nowadays inspired by folk music of Slavonia region of Croatia, and the uses of traditional instruments such as the tamburica.

While performing in a club, he was noticed by Nikica Kalogjera who gave him a chance to appear as a newcomer at the 1969 Split Festival.

He represented Yugoslavia at the Eurovision Song Contest 1971 with "Tvoj dječak je tužan", placing 14th.

[1] Slabinac's song "Zbog jedne divne crne žene" was a huge hit which solidified his status as a singer.

[1] His song "Letaj mi" became an evergreen in Macedonia,[2] particularly because it was sung in Macedonian on the festival "MakFest" in 1989.