April Showers '67

Hope your spring is in bloom, and just like the flowers in the garden, the Musical Family is in bloom with this Springtime episode from '67.

And here are the highlights.....

The Lennon Sisters sing the praises of DDT.....

Barbara and Bobby play Bavarian Pattycake....

......and Larry Hooper listens to Howard Stern on the radio.

APRIL SHOWERS - April 15, 1967

1. APRIL SHOWERS - Kathy, Steve, Natalie, Jimmy, Barbara, Bobby, Dee Dee, Jack with Bob Havens on trombone, Mahlon Clark on clarinet and Dick Cathcart on trumpet
2. WISH ME A RAINBOW - the orchestra with Frank Scott on harpsichord, Bob Ralston on the calvietta and Orie Amodeo on flute
3. LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING - Norma Zimmer and Jimmy Roberts
4. STORMY WEATHER - Bob Ralston at the piano
5. CHERRY BLOSSOM LANE - Janet, Dee Dee, Kathy and Peggy Lennon

   
6. SINGING IN THE RAIN - sung and danced by Bobby Burgess, Arthur Duncan and Jack Imel
7. APRIL LOVE - Steve Smith
8. APRIL IN PORTUGAL - the orchestra
9. LOOK TO THE RAINBOW - Natalie Nevins
10. THE SHOE PLODDLER - danced by Bobby Burgess and Barbara Boylan with Myron Floren on the concertina

11. A GARDEN IN THE RAIN - Joe Feeney
12. YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE - Jo Ann Castle at the honky tonk piano with Buddy Merrill at guitar and Neil Levang at banjo
13. SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW - Norma Zimmer
14. RAIN - tap danced by Arthur Duncan

15. IT'S A LOVELY DAY (TO BE CAUGHT IN THE RAIN) - Kathy Lennon and Steve Smith
16. RHYTHM IN THE RAIN - Frank Scott at the piano
17. IT AIN'T GONNA RAIN NO MORE - Larry Hooper
18. INTO EACH LIFE SOME RAIN MUST FALL - Dick Dale
19. IN THE GARDEN - Norma Zimmer with backing chorus of Charlie Parlato, Dick Cathcart, Curt Ramsey and Steve Smith

  
Each and every one of the numbers featured on the show was terrific, but there is one thing I question....

Why would Kathy Lennon and Steve Smith go cycling in the rain? Especially without wearing protective rain gear?

At least one can say these two know how to take risks in life.

Hope your spring so far has plenty of sunshine, even if you do have some rain and until next time, keep a song in your heart and don't step into any mud puddles.

April Showers '67

From Polkas to Classics

Have you ever been curious about how a polka melody becomes a timeless, classic song?

The music makers will show you how in this week's Lawrence Welk Show episode from 1967!

Here are some of the highlights in living color!

Bobby teaches Cissy how to fly....

The animals are now in charge of the Toledo Zoo....

....and Dick Dale secretly switches Peggy Lennon's regular coffee with Folgers Crystals

FROM POLKAS TO CLASSICS - November 25, 1967

1. THE PENNSYLVANIA POLKA - Kathy, Dick, Bobby, Cissy, Janet, Jimmy, Andra & Dick with Myron Floren on accordion
2. STRANGE MUSIC - Norma Zimmer
3. FIREFLY SERENADE - the orchestra
4. SERENADE OF THE BELLS - Kathy, Janet, Peggy and Dee Dee Lennon
5. SUGAR - Frank Scott at the piano, Richard Maloof on bass, Neil Levang on guitar and Johnny Klein on drums

 
6. GOLDEN DAYS - Jimmy Roberts with the string section
7. YOU MEAN ALL THE WORLD TO ME - Lynn Anderson with the Lennon Sisters
8. THE BREEZE AND I - danced by Bobby Burgess and Cissy King
9. MARIA - Natalie Nevins
10. THE ROSE OF TRALEE - Joe Feeney

11. BRAZILIAN SAMBA - Myron Floren on accordion
12. LET US OUT, LET US OUT (WHAT IS NEW AT THE ZOO) - Bobby Burgess, Jack Imel, Arthur Duncan and Cissy King
13. TALK TO THE ANIMALS - The Lennon Sisters with Bobby, Jack, Arthur and Cissy
14. YOURS - Andra Willis
15. WABASH CANNONBALL - the orchestra featuring Neil Levang on guitar, Frank Scott on harpsichord and Dick Cathcart on trumpet

16. SAY IT ISN'T SO - The Curt Ramsey Quintet featuring Steve Smith with Charlie Paralto, Norma Zimmer, Curt Ramsey and Dick Cathcart
17. STOPTIME - danced by Arthur Duncan
18. GET ALONG HOME, CINDY, CINDY - Dick Dale with the Lennon Sisters
19. WHEN THE ORGAN PLAYED AT TWILIGHT - Bob Ralston at the Thomas Organ
20. HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY GAL?/BABY FACE/AIN'T SHE SWEET? - Bob Lido, Lynn, Norma, Joe, Steve, Jimmy, Bobby, Dick (Dale), Andra, Kathy, Janet, Dee Dee, Natalie, Cissy and Larry Hooper at the piano

It was a very fun episode, a great selection of songs....even though only a handful of them were polkas. (I don't recall Let Us Out, Let Us Out ever played as a polka)

Jo Ann Castle does not appear in this episode, at the time she was most likely on the road doing one of her personal appearances on stage.

This was only Andra Willis' second appearance on the Welk show, you can tell that her way of singing has been well accepted by the audience. She's also one in a lineage of talented Music Makers that sing Spanish songs such as 1940s Champagne Lady Jayne Walton and Anacani.

And as always, I never tire of listening to the orchestra's instrumental of Wabash Cannonball....Dick Cathcart was truly one of the world's finest trumpet man, Frank Scott knows how to master the harpsichord and of course Neil Levang's excellent guitar work brings it all together.

So until the next new episode, which is two weeks from now....keep a song in your heart and remember that you can talk to the animals but don't feed the animals.

From Polkas to Classics

Oh Please....Just Give Me Five Minutes More

This is a really cute musical number from 1967, here's the Musical Family singing "Give Me Five Minutes More".

Watch for Jo Ann Castle at the end of the song, you won't be disappointed!

Oh Please....Just Give Me Five Minutes More

Together, Wherever We Go

Today, we bring you a great Welk episode from that hip decade known as the 1960s, this one is titled "Together, Wherever We Go" which originally aired September 30, 1967 on the ABC network.

It's highlighted by a whole variety of excellent musical numbers such as Lynn Anderson's "Make The World Go Away", Jack Imel and Larry Hooper's comical "They Got A Lot of Coffee in Brazil", Jo Ann Castle's "The Sheik Of Araby" and the entire saxophone section with "That Old Gang Of Mine".

That particular week, the Maestro's special musical guest is singer Harry Middlebrooks who sings "Georgia On My Mind" and "Shine On Harvest Moon". 

1. Together, Wherever We Go - Lynn, Jack, Natalie, Bob (Ralston), Janet, Norma, Larry, Jimmy, Dianne, Dick (Dale), Peggy, Steve, Cissy, Bobby (Burgess), Charlotte, Joe with dancing by Arthur, Jack and Bobby

2. Goody Goody - the orchestra

3. Somewhere My Love - Norma Zimmer

4. Georgia On My Mind - Harry Middlebrooks with Frank Scott on piano

5. High Society - Bobby Burgess and Cissy King

6. Make The World Go Away - Lynn Anderson

7. The Sheik of Araby - Jo Ann Castle on the honky tonk piano

8. There's a Kind of Hush All Over the World - Dianne, Janet and Peggy Lennon

9. I Want My Mama - sung and danced by Bobby Burgess, Arthur Duncan and Jack Imel with Dianne, Janet & Peggy

10. Tico Tico - Myron Floren on the accordion

11. Kathleen - Joe Feeney with Frank Scott on the piano

12. Piccolo Pete - Natalie Nevins and her piccolo with Larry, Dick (Dale), Charlie Paralto and Kenny Trimble along with Janet, Peggy and Cissy

13. Just The Way You Are - Frank Scott at piano with Buddy Clark on bass, Neil Levang on guitar and Johnny Klein on drums

14. Pagan Love Song - The Curt Ramsey Quintet (Charlie, Norma, Curt with Dick Cathcart and Steve Steve) with Buddy Merrill on steel guitar

15. This Old Gang Of Mine - saxophone/reed section with Dick Dale, Orie Amodeo, Bob Davis, Mahlon Clark (on clarinet) and Russ Klein

16. It's No Secret What God Can Do - Jimmy Roberts with Bob Ralston at the Thomas organ
17. They Got An Awful Lot of Coffee in Brazil - Larry Hooper and Jack Imel
18. A Kiss In The Dark - Joe Livoti on violin with Bob Ralston at piano
19. Shine On Harvest Moon - Harry Middlebrooks with Cissy, Dianne, Norma, Janet, Peggy, Lynn, Natalie, Bobby, Jimmy, Steve, Dick (Dale), Arthur, Larry and Joe

Production Notes: Kathy Lennon does not appear in this episode. Also Buddy Clark was the featured bass player in the orchestra even though according to Welk historians Richard Maloof joined in August, and Cissy King joined earlier in July so I am guessing this show was taped sometime in July.

Here's Neil Levang jamming along with his Stratmaster joined by Johnny Klein at the sticks

And here's Frank Scott at the piano with Buddy Clark on bass.

Together, Wherever We Go

Ah, the Joy of Winter

Just a few highlights from this week's show, first taped in December of '67.

The ice looks pretty slick out there.....

....but not too slick for some ice skating by Cissy & Bobby!

After all that, let's get cozy by a warm fire.....

...and if that doesn't warm you up, maybe some of Jo Ann Castle's hot licks on the piano will!

Ah, the Joy of Winter

Songs of the South

This one is a blast from the past, 1967 that is....

The fellas sing "Chattanooga Choo Choo"

Let's head on down to Bourbon Street fro some of that New Orleans Dixieland style music!

Where Jo Ann Castle and the gang will be playing!

I was down south yesterday, it was actually Southwest Michigan for the UT-Western Michigan game (which the Rockets lost....again).

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, but you don't have to wait that long as next week's show celebrates that holiday!

Songs of the South

A timely show about Time

This episode, a salute to time, first aired on April 29, 1967....here's the gang with the opening number, "My Grandfather's Clock"

Here's Natalie Nevins in the solo spot with "Love's Old Sweet Song"

She really looks nice with her hair done that way, I just wish the show's producers and the Maestro would allow Natalie to have her hair down more often.

Now here's Jack Imel with Jo Ann Castle, Charlie Parlato and Bob Lido at the supermarket with "Now's The Time To Fall In Love".

Who knew that Double Coupon day was this fun?

It's an invasion of the Andy Capps!

No, it's the Lennon Sisters with the breezy sixties hit "Georgy Girl".

And of course, the gang asking everybody for just "Five Minutes More".

And it feels great to get back online....just in the nick of time!

Next week, it's a salute to Irving Berlin from 1973....so take care y'all!

A timely show about Time

Winter Show '67

Talk about perfect timing, the snow if falling here in Toledo which leads us to this week's episode titled "Winter" from December 2, 1967.

Here's the gang getting things started with "Button Up Your Overcoat"

The show has several memorable numbers, including great instrumentals such as "People Will Say Were In Love" and "You're Just In Love".

Here's the Lennon Sisters singing "It's A Marshmallow World"

Also, here's Lynn Anderson making eyes at bassist Richard Maloof while singing "Promises, Promises".

And speaking of instrumentals, here's one titled "The Flea" featuring Charlie Parlato, Bob Ralston, Jack Imel and Johnny Klein showing off that crazy rhythm!

Notice that Bob is playing the electronic harpischord, which Lawrence says that it was designed by George Cates.

Other fine numbers include, "I Could Have Danced All Night" by Andra Willis, "I Believe" by Norma Zimmer, "Little Bells and Big Bells" danced by Cissy and Bobby and Joe Feeney with "Padre".

And of course, there's Mary Lou Metzger's interview with Dianne "Dee Dee" Lennon.

Here, Dee Dee talks about being the eldest of all eleven Lennon children and her life on the show. Also, she touches on her own family....how she met Dick Gass, her husband of 47 years and her love of sports....such as golf which she first played with her dad at age six.

It's a great show, we'll worth the wait after repeats and pledge specials!

Next week, a Welk Christmas show.....complete with interview with Norma Zimmer, so until next week....stay warm and keep a song in your heart!

Winter Show '67

A Southern Show

This Thanksgiving week.....we got a repeat, it's a "Southern Show" from February 1967 and here are some highlights...

Bobby Burgess, Arthur Duncan and Jack Imel along with the gang in the train depot singing "Are You From Dixie?"

Here's the Maestro with his special guest star.....the juice queen Anita Bryant, in happier times of course.

Singing and dancing about "Big D" here's Barbara Boylan and Bobby Burgess wearing one of Rose Weiss' originals.....from her Wild Wild Wild West collection

And now it's down to the French Quarter at Bob Lido's nightclub where Larry Hooper and the rest of the Dixieland fellas are ready to swing it....New Orleans style!

And that wraps up the week. I do declare that we get a new one next time 'round so take care until then!

A Southern Show