Milestones & Memories - It's already been ten years?

This weekend while I watched the latest regularly scheduled Welk episode on WGTE (Toledo's PBS affiliate), WBGU (Bowling Green's PBS affiliate) was in mini-pledge mode that plenty of stations have been doing lately.

And what did WBGU show instead? Milestones & Memories!

On both nights! So in between the regular Welk show on Saturday and football on Sunday, I checked it out...

As I watched, it dawned on me that this special was taped in Branson ten years ago this month....hard to believe it's been that long.

When the special was taped, the Welk reruns were just starting Season 14 on public television, today as I write....were now in Season 24.

Since then, four more Welk pledge specials have been made, this website and blog has been launched, You Tube was created to showcase musical numbers from the show and Saturday Night Live has spawned a successful recurring sketch.

And on a somber note, a few of the original 47 members of the Musical Family that appeared on the special are no longer with us.

Barney Liddell - trombonist (d. 2003)
Henry Cuesta - clarinetist/reeds (d. 2003)
Helen Ramsey - Champagne Lady (d. 2004)
Myron Floren - accordionist (d. 2005)
Joe Feeney - Irish tenor (d. 2008)
Jayne Walton - Champagne Lady (d. 2010)
Big Tiny Little - ragtime pianist (d. 2010)


I believe that by watching this special, as well as the regular Welk show, it's a way of keeping these folks in one's memory as well as in your heart.