Joe Feeney in the Great Outdoors

Like him, there are days you wanna get away from it all...

Especially when the sounds of nature are calling.

Musical Chairs

If you're a die-hard Welkie like myself, maybe you'll notice this....

From the show's 18th season (1972-73), the trumpet section's seating arrangement (right above the trombones) from left to right; Johnny Zell, Mickey McMahan, Norman Bailey and Charlie Parlato.

It's been like that for the past several seasons.

However.....

Later on in the same season, while Johnny and Mickey's spots remain the same, the other two trumpeters switch places. Charlie is seated in Norman's chair while Norm is now assigned to Charlie's old chair.

Inquiring minds want to know....

Ava Barber's Country Birthday Hoedown

Y'all come and have some fun!

Happy Birthday Ava!

Summer Samba

Now that summer is offically underway, here's some appropriate music for this wunnerful time of year!

Here's Bob Ralston at the keyboards with the Summer Samba

A haiku for the cello players

It's sweet as the sounds of the instrument itself!

 

From the string section

It's Charlotte and her cello

Followed by Ernie

 

 

Hit The Road Jack by the Lennon Sisters

You're all familiar with Ray Charles' version, let's find out how Dee Dee, Peggy, Kathy and Janet tackle this piece of classic pop music!

Great video courtesy of Snookiebutt from YouTube, you'll like the collage of pictures of the sisters.

Goodnight Ladies

Farewell Gentlemen....

Dodge had a good time too.

Alice and Dick and the power of Plymouth

This vintage commercial for the 1959 Plymouth automobiles features Champagne Lady Alice Lon and Music Maker Dick Dale.

Nothing screams car commercial than the sounds of the conga.

That and it's high tech push-button technology.

Return of the inspirational posters

Back by popular demand!

This one is for Dear Ol' Dad

From 1968, the music makers pay tribute to all the dads....

Bobby Burgess and Cissy King

Jimmy Roberts and Norma Zimmer

Natalie Nevins and Larry Hooper

Dick Dale and Andra Willis

Happy Father's Day!

A Carinval Haiku

It's summer, the sun is shining....let's go to the fair!

Head for the midway

There's plenty of rides and games

Just send in the clowns

The Ralna English Super Birthday Spectacular

This has potential to be a PBS pledge special....

Happy Birthday Ralna!

Just call me a twit

I finally gave in to temptation, and jumped on the bandwagon....

Yours truly and Welk Musical Family.com is now on Twitter

So far, it's been fun to do....I have alot to get off my chest, and using it in webpage, blog and now twitter format is very therapeutic.

Here's my Twitter page, come follow along for the ride....if you're interested.

This Day in Welk History: Mary Lou and Richard's wedding

It all happened 36 years ago this month,

The date was June 16, 1973; music makers Mary Lou Metzger and Richard Maloof got married.

And this is the right time to go into my vault of vintage fan magazines to share this gem from that September's TV Star Parade.

Happy Anniversary kids! Just click on an image to view the pictures larger or read the article.

The Adventures of Dick and Alice

Here's our old friends Dick Dale and Alice Lon.....

Bob, George and Toni

These following pictures are from last week's Welk episode, Salute to Mancini and Mercer from 1973.

Announcer Bob Warren dancing out in the audience

And later on, Conductor and Musical Supervisor George Cates is also cutting a rug....

And all day long, I have been scratching my head with the question, who is the pretty lady Bob and George danced with?

After a lengthy search, I found out that the lady is Toni Holt....a popular television co-host, reporter, columnist and socialite in Southern California.

She's has a very interesting career, you can learn more at her official webpage.

Janet Lennon and Lois Best

Happy Birthday Ladies!

Anybody Seen My Girl?

Any of you guys dread the end of the weekend?

To help combat those upcoming Monday blues, here's a great dance routine from a 1982 episode of the Welk Show with Mary Lou Metzger and Jack Imel dancing to "Has Anyone Seen My Girl?"

And Mary Lou looks very cute in that white dress she wears!

The Soapbox: Grammies? We don't need no stinkin' Grammies!

I found out about this from Mike who runs the NotionsCapital blog...

NARAS ELIMINATES POLKA CATEGORY FOR GRAMMY AWARDS

It's official folks, the Grammy Awards are now officially irrelevant.

When it first started back in 1958, their intentions were good....honoring the best in music, not just what's popular but artistic in terms of quality.

Now it's just a stinkin' popularity contest.

Their excuse is that the awards should reflect the tastes in popular music, granted that polka caters to a smaller audience and demographic (or niche audience)....in my opinion, niche matters, it what makes an award show...and life in general, unique, fun and interesting.

Face it, what do expect from an organization that once awarded the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance to freakin' Jethro Tull for Christ sake?

Or that gave the Grammy for Best New Artist to lip synchin' Milli Vanilli?

I have no use for the Grammy awards anymore.

Johnny's Knocking Polka

From 1966, here's Lil' Wally as a guest star on the Welk Show playing the "Johnny's Knocking Polka"

A Neil Levang haiku

The Welk Show's own Guitar Hero gets immortalized in a 5-7-5 format

With guitar in hand

Neil's fingers do the singing

Music to my ears

Frankfurter Sandwiches anyone?

From 1967, here's Peggy Lennon with Charlie Parlato as she pays tribute to a particular meat product that Nathan's made famous.

The Lawrence Welk Singers and Orchestra

This one is another of my albums from my vinyl collection....

Released to the public by Ranwood Records in 1968, it's filled with very peppy, catchy and upbeat tunes that are sung by members of the Musical Family.

Songs like "Land Of Dreams", "Our Kind Of Music", "Better Use Your Head" and "Gonna Get Along Without You Mow" are examples of that wonderful sounds of 1960s pop music.

Here's three of such songs that are here for your listening pleasure...

 

First, here's "Chauson De' Amour"

 

Next, here's the gang singing "Together"

 

And for the grand finale, the always catchy "Secret Love"

 

Adventures in Public Broadcasting

After about two weeks of pledge drives in my area, I wonder if PBS ever thought about their shows doing crossovers to boost ratings....and pledges?

I can just picture it now.....

The cast of Sesame Street appearing on the new version of Electric Company

Poirot from Mystery! making a guest appearance on Austin City Limits....

....and the best one of them all

 

The cast of This Old House with their latest project, home renovation of any select Music Maker from the Welk Show....

Could be Anacani's house, with new additions to her kitchen....

 

....or maybe Sally and Clay Hart's home, looking to add more rooms

 

Who knows, maybe the roof on Ralna's house could use some new shingles?

 

The possibilites are endless!