The benefits of attending a live Welk show

Of course, you get to see your idols live and in person....

.....and you get aluminum siding as a parting gift!

Just like this gentleman in addition to meeting Ken Delo.

Fun at the Movies

"Sir, there's no way you're over 18...."

Blend in with Blender Steve Smith

I know that some of you out there who surf the World Wide Web are thinking one thing....are there any webpages of Steve Smith, male vocalist from the Welk Show I can visit?

Ladies, you're prayers have been answered! Time to go back to the wunnerful 1960s as my webpage has opened up a photo album featuring Steve himself, either as a soloist, as a member of the Blenders or as part of the Curt Ramsey Quintet.

And here's the link! STEVE SMITH: WELK ICON OF THE SIXTIES

A Pete Lofthouse haiku

He played in Welk's trombone section from 1953 to 1965....

From the Great White North

Pete plays trombone for Lawrence

and a little bass!

Greetings from Lancaster!

My good friend Louis from Philadelphia sent me a few of his concert pictures from the Lawrence Welk concert held on July 12th at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Of course, I went there for a show two years ago....that's how I met him.

That's Louis to your right, smiling for the cameras with Ralna English, who was in the show with Guy Hovis, Anacani, Mary Lou Metzger and Ken Delo.

Just go to the Lancaster 2008 concert page to see more great photos like this, you'll love them!

What's going on here?

I wonder what Tanya just saw that shocked her?

Larry Hooper getting a shave from a Barbershop Quartet!

This should be fun......

Tribute to the Big Bands

This week, Lawrence Welk and his Champagne Music Makers go black & white and pay salute to the big names of the Big Band era. Originally aired back on October 8, 1960....this episode is a great way to introduce the youngsters to those big band sounds!

First, here's Larry Hooper as Kay Kyser giving his musical lesson of the day to Ish Kabibble (actually it's Rocky Rockwell).

Next up is Jack Imel, as Ted Lewis, singing "When My Baby Smiles At Me".

Here's Buddy Hayes doing his impression of Cab Calloway as he sings Cab's famous hit "Minnie The Moocher".

And here's the boys in the band playing "The Woodchoppers Ball" to wrap up the show this week!

Other fine numbers include Peggy Lennon with "Oh Johnny", Larry Dean with "Got A Date With An Angel", and many more salute to big band giants such as Paul Whiteman, Spike Jones, Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Freddie Martin as well.

This was a great show, makes you feel like dancing!

Also, Rocky Rockwell was interviewed by Mary Lou this week, he talked about his first trumpet and playing in his first band, how he joined the Welk orchestra and a few great stories while on the road with the Music Makers.

See you all next week....and keep a song in your heart!

Janet Lennon on Password Plus

Here's another great moment in the history of television game shows, Janet Lennon of the Lennon Sisters going up against Monty Hall in a high stakes game of Password Plus

Emcee Allen Ludden brings out the next puzzle, Janet should get this one....

.....or does she?

And now, another one of my haikus

This time, I swear that it's a good one.....

It's raining outside

Dick Dale needs an umbrella

Thank you pretty girls!

Welk programming ideas of mine

The Oklahoma Network released it's Welk programming schedule for 2008-09, which is all repeats and that's par for the course....which is after a season of new shows-repeats is followed by a season of all repeats.

So far, I haven't heard of any pledge week specials on the table. But I do have some creative Welk programming ideas that OETA and many individual public television station might consider which could mean more viewers and those pledge dollars!

For those week-long pledge drives, I can envision an all day Welk marathon where for an entire day (or half a day) PBS can show episodes of the Lawrence Welk Show back-to-back-to-back....and so forth.

Or maybe, for a whole week....nothing but Welk (mini-marathon) in Prime Time!

This one can be for either pledge weeks or normal broadcasting day, broadcast select episodes of the Welk show (those not on the regular OETA Saturday Night rotation) on Late Night, go up against the Tonight Show and the Late Show....or sometime after midnight, which should be popular with the college kids!

Or if you want just simple Welk pledge specials...here's a few suggestions,

Champagne on Broadway, it would take place in Branson where a dozen Welk stars pay salute to the songs and tunes from the Broadway stage.

Champagne Polka Party, where the Musical Family celebrate the show's contributions to polka music, can be held at Branson, Wurstfest, or Hamler's Summerfest.

Maybe than can do a clip show, something on the lines of the Welk show's most memorable and popular musical numbers....kinda like TV Treasures Part Two: Electric Boogaloo.

That's just a few suggestions of mine, any other ideas out there?

A Sally Flynn birthday haiku

Today is Sally Flynn's birthday, why don't we all celebrate with one of my well-written haikus in honor of her?

She's from BYU

sings with Sandi and Clay too

Give Sally a hand!

Happy Birthday Sally!

Gail Farrell makes her Welk debut

Let's go back in time to another wunnerful milestone and memory!

The year was 1969, the Lawrence Welk Show opened it's 15th season on ABC that fall and on that same episode marked the debut of a young and talented girl from Durant, Oklahoma the Maestro discovered at a tag dance at the Hollywood Palladium, where his band played Saturday nights.

Of course, the girl I am referring to is Gail Farrell....

And here's Gail singing her debut number, made famous by Petula Clark titled "Downtown".

Separated at Birth?

Musical Supervisor George Cates

Doc Brown from Back To The Future

GREAT SCOTT!

My computer needs more jigawatts.....

Salute to Bing Crosby

This week, it's a musical salute to Bing Crosby. Originally aired back on January 14, 1978, here are some of the highlights from the show.

Here's Anacani singing "South America, Take It Away!"

Next up, the trio of Gail, Sandi and Mary Lou, our stars from Tuesday's Bear Creek concert, going outta space with "Swinging On A Star"

Time to dance with Cissy and Bobby as the prove that "Anything Goes"....

On that week's show, Myron Floren is out on tour, so we meet Joey Schmidt for the first time after playing the "Happy Yodeler Polka"

And here's Ava Barber with a terrific rendition of "San Antonio Rose"

This week's show was excellent! Other great numbers included were "Moonlight Becomes You" by Tom Netherton, "True Love" by Norma Zimmer and Jimmy Roberts, "I'm An Old Cowhand" featuring Jack Imel and Mary Lou Metzger as well as "Mississippi Mud" featuring Larry Hooper and the Welk show's Barber Shop Quartet.

And being interviewed this week by Mary Lou is the lovely Anacani. She talked about part of her career when she was a star on Latin American television, her role in the movie "Zoot Suit" and her own family.

Plus, you can see Anacani as well as many other of your favorites in the Welk Stars Reunion Show held at Branson's Welk Resort the first week of September. I know that I am excited about it!

Until next week's show.....take care and stay cool everyone.

The results from my latest poll

The question was, "What Kind of Songs you liked to hear Tanya sing?" and the results were very diverse as the Welk show itself!

Out of 41 total votes, coming out on top at 41% (17 votes) was "Anything She Sings I Really Dig" followed by Torchy Ballads at 17% (seven votes) and Those Crazy Novelty Numbers at 14% (six votes).

Rounding out the bottom three are Jazz at 12% (five votes), and Rhythm Songs and Italian both at 7% (three votes a piece)

Thanks for voting! The new poll is up and ready to go!

Sheila Aldridge's brithday

Fellow Welk fans, today is Sheila Aldridge's birthday....and I do have a special haiku written for her on this special day!

She is an Aldridge

And she can carry a tune

The fellas love her

Happy Birthday Sheila!

Greetings from Bear Creek!

After a whole day's work of blood and sweat, plus some computer issues thrown in....I have my pictures of the Gail, Sandi and Mary Lou concert from Bear Creek Farms up and running!

It's one for the history books! Each and every one of the girls was super sweet and nice, and their harmonies were picture perfect!

And here's the link, hope you enjoy them!

TUESDAY WITH THE TRIO AT BEAR CREEK FARMS

Quality time with Mary Lou Metzger.....and go Eagles

Right now, I'm still working on putting a few of my pictures from the Bear Creek show on my webpage.

I always enjoy my time after concerts meeting and talking with the Welk stars, and last Tuesday got to have some quality time with the lovely Mary Lou Metzger.

We talked about a variety of things, such as Welk, Richard Maloof (her husband), the upcoming reunion show in Branson (she was happy to hear that I'm going!) and her growing up in Pennsylvania.

Since she was born in Pittsburgh, and spent her childhood in Philadelphia....I asked the one question that the world has always pondered.

Steelers or Eagles?

I hate to break it you you guys in Black & Gold, but Mary Lou told me she's an Eagles fan.

If Mary Lou and Richard happen to stumble on this blog, here's a nice moment in Eagles history from YouTube that brings back pleasant memories for them and many other fine football fans.

Buddy Merrill

Today is Buddy Merrill's birthday, here's a very fine haiku I've wriiten for him...

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Country, rock or blues

His fingers do the talking

King of the guitars

Back home again from Indiana

Hey everyone, I just got back home from the Gail, Sandi and Mary Lou concert at Bear Creek Farms.....took plenty of pics, lots of my Welk friends were there and the girls were awesome!

Time to hit the sack.....and got to see the end of baseball's All Star Game at Yankee Stadium (15 innings!).

Who would have thunk it?

Countdown to Tuesday

Tomorrow, I will be off to the picturesque Bear Creek Farms in Bryant, Indiana to see the trio of Gail, Sandi and Mary Lou perform at the Goodtimes Theater.

I'm very excited in particular because this will be the first time I'll get to see Sandi Griffiths live and to meet her in person! I will be sure to provide pictures from the show and to put on my webpage.

Here are some pics of the trio to tide you over....

Norma Zimmer

It's Champagne Lady Norma Zimmer's birthday today, and here is a haiku I have written for her on this event.

Happy Birthday Norma!

OUR CHAMPAGNE LADY

AN ICON OF SONG, BEAUTY

AND ATHLETIC TOO

Champagne On Broadway

This week, the Champagne Music Makers are taking Broadway by storm, as they sing and perform some of the more popular showtunes.

So let's go back to 1971 and relive some wunnerful memories!

This number, first made famous in the 1931 show "The Band Wagon", is "Dancing In The Dark" which as you can tell that Cissy & Bobby are dancing to in the bright lights.

Next is Myron Floren at the accordion playing "With A Little Bit Of Luck" from the show "My Fair Lady".

Next, here's Sandi & Sally trying to get into show business by singing "Put On A Happy Face".

And finally, we see the cast from the Jazz Age dancing to the latest Roaring Twenties fad known as the Black Bottom!

Next week, it's a musical salute to Bing Crosby, a new one....I wonder if the Maestro will be playing golf on the show?

Here's yet another Welk haiku

And for this week, it's a George Cates haiku....

FOR OUR NEXT NUMBER

HERE'S GEORGE CONDUCTING THE BAND

TAKE IT AWAY BOYS

Here's Lou Crosby with a word or two about Dodge...

They are the cars that say "Go, Go, Go!"

And we got hybrids that run on bubbles!

Life is always fun when you drive a Dodge.....thank you.

"You're driving, I got shotgun!"

Don Staples' birthday

Today is trombone player Don Staples' birthday....and yes, I do have a haiku prepared on this milestone.

Happy Birthday Don....this one is for you!

Folks from Billings know

the trombone is not a drag

Don loves to play it!

This week on "CHiPs"

Easy riders Sandi Griffiths and Sally Flynn, on their way to San Jose, find themselves lost....

Then comes Officer Bob Ralston of the California Highway Patrol to write them up a citation.....

Knowing that they are busted, Sandi & Sally break out into a fine Champagne Musical Number....

.....and then make their escape from the authorities!

I just know this is going to be on television as another one of Southern California's Finest Police Pursuits.

Larry Welk the Third will be up in the chopper providing narration for KCBS and KCAL. This will win him a local Emmy for sure!