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.