Sunday, January 31, 2010

Having fun saluting the Big Bands

Another repeat show.....Salute to the Big Bands from 1960

Here's Larry Hooper as Kay Kyser and Rocky Rockwell as Ish Kabibble


Larry Dean singing "Got a Date With An Angel"


Jack Imel with his own salute to Spike Jones....


....and Peggy Lennon singing "Oh Johnny" like Wee Bonnie Baker


Someone should remind Aladdin that's not how you drink a glass of water


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Saturday, January 30, 2010

Pants On the Ground

"Okay boyce, let's have it in Champagne style....ah-one an a-two"

Pants on the ground
Pants on the ground
Lookin like a fool with your pants on the ground

 
Gold in your mouth
Hat turned sideways
Pants on the ground


Call yourself a cool cat looking like a fool
Walking downtown
With your pants on the ground


"And that's what happens when you don't wear a belt or suspenders...."


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Friday, January 29, 2010

Ladies and Gentleman.....Sheila Aldridge

And she has a great story to tell.....in song

 
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Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Champagne Five - The Hotsy Totsy Boys fantasy playlist of cover songs

When it comes to pure fun, sheer madness and great entertainment, nothing beats the musical stylings of Bob Lido and the Hotsy Totsy Boys!



....especially when Bob and the fellas are joined by the cute vocals of Mary Lou Metzger



Sometimes, I wish they were all still around today...there are so many great pop songs out there that they can cover, so on today's version of the Champagne Five....here the top five songs I would love to see the Hotsy Totsies cover



1. SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING ON IT) - Beyonce
2. GIRLS ON FILM - Duran Duran
3. PANTS ON THE GROUND - General Larry Platt
4. HOT FOR TEACHER - Van Halen
5. THE MACARENA - Los Del Rio (Bayside Boys Mix)



You kids can have your Lady Gaga....these boys know how to party!
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Ava Barber and Clay Hart

We've paired these two together to sing....



Wonder what the audience thinks?
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Just Do Do Do It

I think the time is now for a Sandi & Sally musical number courtesy of You Tube....



Here's the girls from 1972 singing a George Gershwin hit song "Do Do Do"


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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Revenge of the Reruns - All Time Favorites

Watched last night's Welk episode, All Time Favorites from 1982 was a repeat but a pretty good one.

Highlights include Gail Farrell testing her strength against Michael Redman...


Jack Imel playing the marimbas....but did not attempt to jump over them


....and Kathie Sullivan winning some new fans in the studio audience.


They do shoot bubbles....don't they?



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Saturday, January 23, 2010

The Musical Family as South Park characters

About two years ago, I made a blog entry that featured the Lennon Sisters if drawn as South Park characters.

I figured that since that went over so well....I would share some more, using some of the Champagne Music Makers.

Here's Ken Delo



Joe Feeney



Tom Netherton



...and Ralna English




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Friday, January 22, 2010

Backstage with the Welk Stars

This is where they prepare that Champagne magic!






 
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Thursday, January 21, 2010

Roberta Linn

The Maestro's Champagne Lady from 1949 to 1954....



Here she is from the Milestones and Memories reunion in 2000




And she can be found online at Roberta Linn.com

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Pop Culture Lessons - Musical Family Magazine Covers

As you may or may not know, I have a nice collection of vintage celebrity fan magazines.

And 99.9 three fifths of them have Lawrence Welk and or members of his Musical Family on the cover.

They provide a look back at the Hollywood celebrity gossip in the pre-TMZ, pre-ET days, long before the internet and blogs were invented. Like today, many of the stories were either embellished or just plain made up.

So don't take any of these too seriously, it's kinda like a pop culture history lesson that is so cheesy you might want to put it on a Ritz cracker.

Or just have a chuckle or two....starting with this cover of the August 1972 TV Star Parade



It's a very nice informal picture of Cissy, Tanya, Lawrence and Mary Lou. I like that fact that Cissy is shown wearing glasses, which I can relate to (I wear glasses).

On another note, I hope those rumors about Jim Nabors have been put to rest.

Here's the cover of Photoplay magazine from March 1969



The title may be exaggerated, but it talks about the trials and tribulations concerning love and relationships amongst the Musical Family that have been cultivated on the show.

But I think some of you are kinda curious about Chuck Heston's nude love scene....

The next two are from TV Picture Life, starting with the March 1970 cover....



Turns out the secret was that even though the Maestro was already a grandpa, this was the first grandchild to carry the Welk name and legacy. (Lawrence Welk the Third)

And the Lennon Sisters never did split by the way....so you Lennon fans can relax.

Finally, this next TV Picture Life from July 1970 also trumpets the arrival of a Musical Family kid....



Actually, the article mentions that 95 percent of pregnancies are normal resulting with a perfectly healthy baby....Sandi's was one of them in the 95% range.

By the way, it's a girl. That is little Jenni Griffiths with Lawrence, Papa Brent and Mama Sandi.

And why oh why would Hollywood give Glen Campbell the cold shoulder?

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Thoughts on the Buddy Merrill interview

I just finished listening to Buddy being interviewed by Dave White....great stuff!



It was very insightful, Buddy talked about the finer points of multi-tracking recording and the guitar....especially about the steel pedal, the Stratmaster and Fender electrics.

He also talked to Dave about his time on the Lawrence Welk Show, how he became part of the band, when he was drafted into the Army in 1959 playing for the West Point Band and his amazing home studio where he recorded albums of his brilliant guitar work.

Personally, it's a rare treat getting a chance to hear a legendary musician of his caliber speak. Especially, if he was part of a great organization like Lawrence Welk's.



Tomorrow, the broadcast should be available online at AUDIO ENTERTAINMENT and KSAV's Legacy Archives.

Dave White Presents is available as a mp3 download, podcast and on iTunes

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Monday, January 18, 2010

Musical Family Deep thoughts #2

Let's probe into the mind of the Musical Family to see what they are thinking!




 
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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Keep A Song In Your Heart

That is what Lawrence Welk usually says at the end of each episode, but this week it's also serves as the theme of this Saturday's show on public television!



This week, Bobby and Cissy climb the Stairway to Heaven....



Tanya's hairdo is admitted as the 51st State of the US of A.....



And Jo Ann Castle plays on a honky tonk piano donated by the University of Tennessee (because it's painted in orange checkerboard and UT's Neyland Stadium has checkboard endzones)



Bobby Burgess is your host this week.



KEEP A SONG IN YOUR HEART - January 13, 1968

1. PUT ON A HAPPY FACE - Bobby, Cissy, Jo Ann, Jack, Natalie, Dick, Tanya and Steve
2. WONDERFUL ONE - Norma Zimmer & Jimmy Roberts
3. EASY TO LOVE - orchestra
4. WATCH WHAT HAPPENS - Tanya Falan
5. THE WARSAW CONCERTO - danced by Bobby Burgess & Cissy King with Bob Ralston at the piano


  
6. I'M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOWN AND WRITE MYSELF A LETTER - Sandi Griffiths & Sally Flynn
7. I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY - Natalie Nevins with backing vocals by Sandi, Sally, Steve, Dick, Joe, Cissy, Andra, Larry and Jimmy
8. THERE'S THE KIND OF WALK YOU WALK - Bob Lido and danced plus also sung by Bobby Burgess, Jack Imel and Arthur Duncan
9. THIS SONG IS YOU - Joe Feeney with Frank Scott at the piano
10. BLUE VELVET - Curt Ramsey Quintet featuring Charlie Parlato, Norma Zimmer, Steve Smith, Curt Ramsey and Dick Cathcart


  
11. BABY FACE - Jo Ann Castle at the honky tonk piano with Johnny Klein on drums
12. MEDLEY OF STEVEN FOSTER SONGS - the orchestra with Myron Floren conducting
13. THE OLD REFRAIN - Joe Livoti on violin with Frank Scott at the piano
14. WALKING ON NEW GROUND - Lynn Anderson
15. LOVE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER - Frank Scott on piano, Neil Levang on guitar, Richard Maloof on bass and Johnny Klein on drums


  
16. ME 'N YOU 'N THE MOON - Dick Dale and Andra Willis
17. WHEN DAY IS DONE - Norma Zimmer
18. RUNNIN' WILD - tap danced by Arthur Duncan
19. ROLL OUT THE BARREL - Myron Floren and Jo Ann Castle both on accordion


   
This episode was the second appearance of the team of Sandi & Sally and the third appearance for Tanya Falan. Both girls joined as replacements for the Lennon Sisters, even though they were still part of the Musical Family, it was basically a once-a-month part time basis based on their growing careers and family duties. This would go on until their final appearance on the Feburary 24th Mardi Gras episode.

Here, Sandi & Sally sing "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" which was the same song they used when they auditioned for the show and won them the job. You can tell that their talent, charm and stage presence would win them legions of fans, such as yours truly.



So remember, keep a song in your heart and also keep the Haiti earthquake victims in your thoughts and prayers.

If you want to help, here's a short list of charitable organizations that can show you how.

AMERICAN RED CROSS
BEYOND BORDERS
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
CLINTON BUSH HAITI FUND
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
HAITI CHILDREN
LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF
UNICEF
WORLDVISION
YELE HAITI



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