The Old West never looked this good.....

Two of our favorite cowgirls....Sandi Griffiths and Sally Flynn singing the "Never Ending Song Of Love" from 1972's Country & Western show.

And of course....here's Henry Cuesta backing them up on clarinet, yippy yi yo....HI YO SILVER!

Picture of the day (6-29-06)

This is how Aladdin and Bob Lido first got started in showbiz....as busboys in the Borscht Belt.

Actually...it's from a 1963 live telecast from Chicago where they are singing "Be Yourself".

They would be very popular for the audience in the Catskills once you think about it.

Ava Barber

Today is Ava Barber's birthday, and lets take the time to salute this talented music maker!

Born and raised in Knoxville, TN....she spent her life in country music performing around town as a kid, and it was when she was a teenager when she met and married drummer Roger Sullivan.

And it was in 1974....thanks to some wishful think with the maestro at the golf course, she with help from Roger, scored an audition and was hired onto the show....as Lawrence's "Country Gal".

She's got country music hits such as "Waiting At The End Of Your Run" and "Bucket To The South" and once co-owned with Dick Dale the Rainbow Theater in Pigeon Forge. Today, she still sings to a new generation of fans nationwide and has been a part of both Four Wunnerful Women and Live Lawrence Welk Show concert tours.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVA!

For all you Anacani fans....

...especially if your going through the back-to-work Monday blues, here's our Mexican Senorita here to brighten things up!

It's the perfect wallpaper for the computer at the office or home, sure beats those flying toasters anyday of the week!

Salute To Famous Musical Families

This week's show is another repeat, but a very good one! It's a salute to famous musicial families, here's the girls below singing "Bye Bye Love" by the Everly Brothers.

A very nice way to open the show I must admit,

The show has alot of memorable numbers in them, such as Guy & Ralna's "If I Were A Carpenter" made famous by Johnny & June Carter Cash, plus a nice English Quickstep by Bobby & Cissy and Tanya's rendition of "We've Only Just Begun" which was a huge hit by the Carpenters. There's also a nice instrumental version of "Unchained Melody" in which Charlotte Harris plays the Righteous Brothers hit on her cello.

For the second week in a row, we were treated to another rendition of "Something Stupid" made famous by Frank & Nancy Sinatra. Last week, the Lennon Sisters sang it...this week it's Gail and Dale.

That's Gail Farrell and Dick Dale to be exact.

And there was the Pennsylvania Polka by Sandi, Gail and Mary Lou as one of the show's highlights. This show, with wraparounds hosted by Anacani who she mentions about her own family, which are quite musicial as seen below with her mom singing "Solamente Una Vez" to wrap up the show.

Now you know where Anacani gets her musicial talents from!
Until next week's show, keep blogging and a song in your heart!

Tom Netherton

And now we bring out our Blonde Baritone Tom Netherton with a nice number for you nice folks....Bob Ralston will accompany him at the piano.

A mainstay on the Welk show from 1973 to 1981, Tom is the definition of what a matinee idol is...and is known for singing not just the pop standards but also religious songs as well. You can find more about him and what he's up to by visiting his webpage.

And yes ladies....he's still single!

Picture of the day (6-21-06)

Shall we dance? Let Bobby & Cissy show you how!

With their help, you too can someday be on the next Dancing With The Stars!

Happy Birthday Ralna

Today is June 19th which can only mean one thing here in the land of Champagne.

It's Ralna English's birthday....HAPPY BIRTHDAY RALNA!

County Fair 1967

You know it's summer when the County Fair comes to town, and that is the theme for this week's Lawrence Welk episode, a repeat with wraps hosted by costume guru Rose Weiss. Here's the Lennon Sisters above wearing a sample of Rose's work in the number. "Something Stupid".
This show first aired in September 1967, and it features the gang singing "Cotton Candy and a Toy Balloon", Lynn Anderson above with Buddy and Neil with her rendition of "These Boots Were Made For Walking" which is three hundred times BETTER than the Jessica Simpson version, and Jimmy Roberts with something for the ladies with "Martha".

This is also one of Cissy King's first episodes dancing with Bobby Burgess and they dance to a rousing "Pennsylvania Polka" and speaking of accordian magic...there's Myron Floren playing the Dance of the Comedians and of course Larry Hooper does a hilarious Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas.
There's a cute number by Peggy Lennon featuring Charlie Parlato singing about Frankfurter Sandwiches (a bit risque!) and all sorts of sixties fun at the midway...like Bob Ralston here trying out to be the next World's Strongest Man?

I think Bob better stick with the keyboards, like he does with a brilliant piece titled "The Merry Go-Round Broke Down".

Next week is another repeat...Salute To Famous Musical Families hosted by Anacani.

Picture of the day (6-14-06)

Here's the Aldridge Sisters and the Otwell Twins from an 1980 Welk episode titled, "Love Songs".

Notice that Sherry Aldridge is located at the lower right-hand part of the screen, that's early 1980s video technology!

Champagne Music Parisian style

From 1977, here's Champagne Lady Norma Zimmer on the streets of Paris singing while traffic cop Arthur Duncan watches out for any pesty jaywalkers and traffic offenders.

Vacation Show

This week's episode is a repeat, for those who wanna get away from it all....here's A Vacation Show from 1980. Kathie Sullivan is the host for the wraparounds. Here's the gang above hanging out at the ice cream parlor singing, "Let's Get Away From It All".

Speaking of Kathie, here's her from 1980 singing, "Have I Stayed Too Long At The Fair" and during her wrap segments, she talked about her family plus her role as Jane Long in her one-woman show about the history of Dallas, where she now makes her home.

Back to the show itself, there were plenty of great numbers such as the "Come To The Mardi Gras" dance by Bobby & Elaine, "Leavin' On A Jet Plane" by Guy & Ralna, Joe Feeney rendition of "Around The World In 80 Days" with help at the organ by Bob Ralston and a nice orchestral version of "Tuxedo Junction".

Here's a nice quintet for you, Dick Dale, Gail Farrell, Ava Barber, Charlie Parlato and Kenny Trimble singing, "Things" which is easy for the ears and easy on the eyes if I must say so myself. Other numbers that were featured included "In Acapulco" by Anacani, the Hawaiian Wedding Song by Tom Netherton and "Louisiana Hayride" by the chorus to close put the show.

It was a very good show, and it makes me eager to get away from it all!

Johnny Zell

Here's one of the most talented and most popular musicians to have ever played the trumpet on the Welk show, Johnny Zell.

Born in Fort Benning, GA....Johnnny and his family grew up in Southern California where at age 15 tried to score an audition with the music makers at the Hollywood Palladium, but the maestro thought he was too young and suggested he get some experience.

Five and a half years later, fresh out of the Army (with the NORAD band), he got his chance to play with the Music Makers which lasted from 1968 to 1982 and became immensly popular with his workmanship with the trumpet.

A devout Christian, Johnny, the father of four, and his wife Laura lives in Oregon where he continues to perform his horn and teach trumpet lessons in cyberspace courtesy of his webpage.

Picture of the day (6-6-06)

Relax...there's nothing sinister or evil here, it's just Mary Lou Metzger and Jack Imel as some friendly vampires as a homage to 6-6-06 (today's date).

I wonder if they have ever visited Hell, Michigan...LOL

Easy Listening

Howdy to all fans of Lawrence Welk, this week we had Easy Listening shown on many PBS stations...featuring Mary Lou Metzger's interview with Sally & Clay Hart.

The actual episode itself was first shown on December 6, 1980. The maestro paid tribute to the easy listening songs that were commonplace on the AOR, Lite FM radio and it all started off with a nice orchestral piece appropriately titled "Sweet and Lovely" plus Bobby & Elaine showed us how to do the English Quickstep.

This particular show marked the return of Welk music makers Sally Flynn and Clay Hart, now happily married and making a go of it as a singing duo. Ironically, they were married on December 6, 1974 so when this show first aired, they celebrated six years of marriage. Here they are singing their favorites, "United We Stand".
There were many great numbers in the show, such as Ava Barber's "Stand By Your Man", "Let Me Be There" by the trio of Gail, Ron and Michael, Jim Turner with the Harry Nilsson hit, "Everybody's Talkin" and pictured above is Johnny Zell and his trumpet with "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" with a little help from the always pretty Welk ladies.

There was alos the "Jolly Polka" by the nimbe fingers of Myron Floren on his squeezbox, "Una Paloma Blanca" by Anacani just to name a few capped off by the gang to close the show with "What The World Needs (Is Love, Sweet Love)"....which truly makes it an easy listening and watching episode.
Now we come to Mary Lou's interview with Clay and Sally, among the topics discussed was how each one of them got on the Welk show plus a hilarious tale of how it was Sally that called the Maestro "Lawrence" instead of "Mister Welk". They also discussed about their tote bag business (It's Keep Sack if you didn't know) and their professional and working friendship with comic legend Red Skelton, whom they opened for many years back and taught them valuable lessons in showbiz.

Judging from my personal experiences, they are both wunnerful folks and great to be friends with. I advise you to take it upon yourself to see them in concert live whenever they come to your area, and have a chance to say "howdy" to them after the show...you won't be disappointed.

Oh yeah....and if you're curious, they didn't bring their poodle Sadie with them on camera.

Dave Edwards

Here's a picture of music maker Dave Edwards playing a nice solo of "Misty".

Dave, who played for the Welk orchestra from 1968 to 1979, was born in Tuskegee, Alabama on January 11, 1941 and attended Auburn University along with a stint in NORAD with their famous orchestra before joining Mr. Welk.

Sadly, he died much too young in 2000 at the age of 59...when he was around, he was one of the finest saxophone players in the business and we are all glad that tapes of the Welk show preserve memories for all of us to enjoy.

And he also looked great too with those glasses, a great role model for all Welk fans that wear specs!

Picture of the day (6-1-06)

Here's Joe Feeney singing one of his favorite ballads with the help of Myron Floren at the accordian.

Check out the three piece suit Joe's wearing...can you dig it?