WELK MUSICAL FAMILY: February 2009

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Poll results and then some

The polls have closed here on Welk Musical Family, and here are the results....

Out of 45 total votes, your most favorite talent demonstrated by Jo Ann Castle on the Welk Show is......

.....those ragtime piano solos at a whopping 73% (33 total votes).

Followed by her accordion duets with Myron Floren at 13% (six votes)

Rounding out the rest is her novelty numbers at 11% (5 votes) and dancing with the fellas at 2% (1 vote).

Tonight is when my PBS affliate airs the new Welk pledge special titled "Welk Stars - Through The Years". Thank goodness I'll be taping it because I won't be able to watch it until at least Sunday evening (work, work, work!)

I'm looking forward to seeing it myself, and adding my two cents.

After you watch it, don't forget to vote in my latest new poll!

Friday, February 27, 2009

Yet another brilliant haiku of mine

This one salutes the Aldridge Sisters and Otwell Twins singing Irving Berlin....

These kids from the hills

Doing what comes naturally

And that is singing!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Ask Natalie!

Ever wanted to ask Welk star Natalie Nevins a question?

I got a email from my good buddy Brad Moore from Kansas City, he's a good friend of Natalie whom he talks with her weekly by phone. Back in 1999, he made the popular newsletter "Notes From Natalie" in which she gave fans her extensive background in television and stage prior to joining Lawrence Welk.

Me and Brad are trying to put together an interview in which you the fans can submit a question for Ms. Nevins, send it to Brad and she can answer.

It can be about her time in the Welk show, her career and her life....anything you have always wondered.

I'll post the whole transcript on my main webpage in the not-to-distant-future, more details and updates will follow.

Just send your questions here to this email link....ASK NATALIE.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

This day in Welk history

On this day, twenty seven years ago on February 24, 1982....

The very last original episode of the Welk Show was taped, it would later air nationwide on April 17th

Wow, that was 27 years ago....and the show it self ran twenty seven years!

Also, today is a double celebration.

Today is the birthday of yours truly, I turn thirty-two......

......and it's also Paczki Day!

Now I have two reasons to celebrate!

I wonder if it's possible to put thirty-two candles on a single paczki?

Monday, February 23, 2009

Gail on Match Game

Right now on GSN, Match Game is airing the week of episodes with Gail Farrell on the panel.

Well, to be exact....four-fifths of that week, they skipped an episode again, the one I NEEDED to complete my collection!

I just wish the network (GSN) did not skip episodes....who knows what we are missing?

All I needed was episode #111 from season one of the syndicated Match Game (aired 1979 to 1982), that's the Monday show where Gail makes her debut on the panel.

Anyone who has a copy, contact me....we'll negotiate a deal!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Oscar Night!

This week, the Music Makers salute the Academy Award winning original songs....

Guy & Ralna sings "Buttons & Bows", the Oscar winner for 1948

Myron Floren with the 1960 winner "Never On Sunday".....

Sandi & Sally with "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" that won in 1969.

Tanya sings "For All We Know" which won in '71.....

And here's Jack Benny with the Maestro....wonder if he did win an Oscar?

As for tonight's ceremonies.....who will win Best Song? Will it be either "Jai Ho" or "O Saya" from Slumdog Millionaire? Or will it be "Down To Earth" from WALL-E?

The envelope please.....

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Can You Be a Welk Star?

Just in case you want to know....

Before Cosmo and Redbook perfected the personality test, this led the way.

Just click on the picture to take the test.....or just read it.

Friday, February 20, 2009

An Academy Awards haiku

I would like to thank the academy for the honor of being nominated.....

It's Oscar's big night

Let's roll out the red carpet

Lights, Camera, Action!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

A Lennon Sisters sighting

A huge thanks to my friend Peter for the heads up....

But first, just to clarify....these two aren't the Lennons.

In fact, they are Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford (yes...the same!) hosting the 10am portion of NBC's Today Show.

And right in the studio, watching them...is Janet and Kathy!

And from what I learned, they were in New York this week at a toy show....sharing the magic of their Best Pals dolls to the five NYC boroughs plus Long Island, Westchester County and New Jersey.

And Kathie Lee mentions that Janet and Kathy are good friends too!

Here's the link to the Lennon's Best Pals site just for a refresher....

....and the actual clip, which the real fun happens three minutes in.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Silver Screen from June 1970

This is just one of the many reasons why ebay rules....

This issue of Silver Screen magazine from June of '70 is one of many famous celebrity magazines from the late 60's and early 70's that featured many "stories" about Lawrence Welk and his Music Makers.

In this issue, the female performers are featured.

The girls mentioned in the article, written by Alice Davenport, are Sandi Griffiths, Sally Flynn, Charlotte Harris, Gail Farrell, Ralna English, Cissy King and Norma Zimmer. And as the cover suggests, it talks about the loves and the sacrifices the ladies have to make as members of the Musical Family.

These are the actual pictures from this issue that I scanned and posted...

Also this issue has scoop photos of Tanya and her newborn son, Lawrence Welk the Third....who was born on February 28th of the same year. It also features a related article written by Gary Denton.

These are the pictures....

It's always very nice to go down memory lane.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

True Blue

And now.....a look at some of the Music Makers that wore blue on the show

Tom Netherton

Skeets Herfurt

Myron Floren

Norma Zimmer and Jimmy Roberts

Sunday, February 15, 2009

The South and Mardi Gras show

And now, highlights from this week's Lawrence Welk episode....

The opening number, "Are You From Dixie?"

Bobby & Cissy dance to "Big D"

Anacani sings "Come to the Mardi Gras"

Ava Barber sings "Jambalaya"

Larry Hooper sings "That's What I Like About The South"

Have a good week! I'm gonna go watch the Daytona 500....

Saturday, February 14, 2009

This date in Welk history

On this Valentine's Day back in 1971.....

A musical family match was made in heaven, or in this case Hollywood....

Bobby Burgess married Kristi Floren, one of Myron Floren's five daughters.

Today, they have been married for 38 years!

And have given Grandpa Myron four children. Daughters Becki and Wendi, plus Sons Robert and Brent.

Happy Anniversary and Happy Valentine's Day!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Molly Bee 1939-2009

You may have heard of her from such as work as "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and as a frequent guest on Tennessee Ernie Ford's television show.

We, the Lawrence Welk fans, knew that Molly appeared on the Maestro's show on September 12, 1959....the opening show of the 1959-60 season, as a guest Champagne Lady.

She passed away last Saturday at her home in Oceanside, CA from stroke complications, here's a link to her obit from the Tennessean newspaper.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Dick Kesner

Looking at some of the fine violinists in the band, long time fans would surely remember Dick Kesner and his companion, the Stradivarius violin.

Born in Sioux City, Iowa on October 26, 1912; he attended the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago followed by three years with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

Dick served the US Army during World War II in the Pacific Theater, where he organized his own combo of musicians to entertain the troops. After the war, he played with Freddie Martin's band and with the ABC music staff in San Francisco before he joined the Music Makers in 1953 as first violin chair.

During his time with the Welk Orchestra until 1960, he was one of the more popular members of the Maestro's television show thanks to his beautiful violin solos, played with his trademark Stradivarius. He also recorded several solo albums on the Brunswick and Coral labels.

Dick was killed in a auto accident in Texas on January 8, 1962.

Anyone who wants to learn violin, or perform on a grand scale of excellence, just watch some of the old black & white Welk shows where Dick Kesner performs in the solo spot!