Small Towns of America

From Harpster, Ohio to Hudson, Indiana and from Brockway, Wisconsin to Boyd, Minnesota, the final "new" episode of the 2011-12 Welk season salutes Small Town U.S.A.

So here are the highlights, which include....

Myron Floren switching Arthur Duncan's and Jimmy Roberts' regular coffee with Folgers Crystals.....

Natalie Nevins guest stars on this week's Welcome Back Kotter.....

.....and Cissy King with Andra Willis eat apples.


SMALL TOWNS OF AMERICA - February 1, 1969

1. DEAR HEARTS AND GENTLE PEOPLE - Larry, Bob Lido, Sandi, Bobby, Cissy, Andra, Bob Ralston, Tanya, Joe, Jo Ann, Natalie, Jimmy, Arthur, Dick, Curt
2. MY SWEET LITTLE ALICE BLUE GOWN - Norma Zimmer
3. JOSEPHINE - the orchestra
4. THAT OLD GANG OF MINE - Steve Smith, Curt Ramsey, Larry Hooper and Charlie Parlato
5. PEACE IN THE VALLEY - Andra Willis

6. WALKING MY BABY BACK HOME - Bob Ralston at the piano
7. A HOUSE WITH LOVE IN IT - Jimmy Roberts
8. MY HEART IS A HOBO - Steve Smith
9. DO, RE, MI - Natalie Nevins with Cissy, Andra, Tanya, Bobby, Bob Ralston, Charlie and Larry
10. THERE'S THE KIND OF WALK YOU WALK - danced by Bobby Burgess and Cissy King

11. EVERYONE'S GOT A HOME BUT ME - Joe Feeney
12. HOT TIME IN THE OLD TOWN TONIGHT - Jo Ann Castle at the honky tonk piano
13. GIVE ME THE SIMPLE LIFE - Bob Lido
14. SMALL TOWN BOYS - sung and danced by Bob Ralston and Jack Imel
15. (GIVE ME THAT) OLD TIME RELIGION - Larry Hooper with Charlie, Dick, Norma, Myron, Jo Ann, Cissy, Andra, Bob Lido and Joe

16. I'D RATHER BE BLUE - Sandi Griffiths and Sally Flynn
17. MY HOME IS IN MY SHOES - sung and danced by Arthur Duncan
18. IN A SMALL TOWN - Dick Dale
19. EASY STREET - Tanya Falan
20. A PRAYER FOR PEACE - Dick, Charlie, Joe, Bob Lido, Tanya, Jo Ann, Curt, Bob Ralston, Andra, Natalie, Larry, Arthur, Norma, Jimmy, Cissy, Bobby, Sandi, Steve and Sally

This was a fun episode, it was quite different that Myron Floren did the introductions to the musical numbers and that Lawrence only appeared in the opening and closing portions of the show.

And sadly, this concludes this season of episodes that includes "new" ones, so starting in September it will be a full year of repeats. Who knows, maybe due to pledge drives, some markets will be showing the "new" ones for the first time.

So from my small town to yours, from Aliceville, Alabama to Alma, Colorado; keep a song in your heart!

   

Small Towns of America

Bandstand of the Week

From 1969, the band plays their cover of "Hey Jude"

 

Bandstand of the Week

These are the people in your neighborhood....

From this week's episode titled Occupations from 1969, let's take a cue from the folks from Sesame Street and find out just who are the people in your neighborhood.

There's the coal miner....

....the dance instructor with her newest pupil

.....the pretty short order cook

....and finally the public school art teacher

These are the people in your neighborhood....

Musical Tour of the USA - The episode only a fortunate few have seen

I don't know if calling this a "lost episode" is accurate, but I do know that many PBS affliates (such as yours truly) have never been able to broadcast this episode thanks to Ol' Man Pledge Drive.

To get an idea of what this particular episode was like, here are some highlights....

The Champagne Music Maker's own version of the Mystery Machine runs outta gas

Natalie Nevins finds those bubbles very enchanting......

.....and Bob Lido along with Larry Hooper pretend they're Thelma and Louise

MUSICAL TOUR OF THE USA - June 21, 1969

1. THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND - Dick, Bobby, Cissy, Steve, Sandi, Sally, Jimmy, Larry and Ralna
2. CHICAGO - the orchestra
3. IT HAPPENED IN MONTEREY - Norma Zimmer and Jimmy Roberts
4. SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK/IN OLD NEW YORK/SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO/GIVE MY REGARDS TO BROADWAY - Bob Ralston at piano
5. HAWAIIAN WEDDING SONG - Ken Delo with Buddy Merrill at the steel piano

  
6. GALVESTON - danced by Bobby Burgess and Cissy King
7. CAN'T BUY ME LOVE - Tanya Falan
8. I LOVE YOU TRULY - organ trio of Lawrence Welk, Bob Ralston and Frank Scott
9. DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE? - Sandi Griffiths and Sally Flynn
10. SAN FRANCISCO - tap dancing by Arthur Duncan

  
11. BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX - Ralna English
12. ON THE BEACH AT WAIKIKI - Jo Ann Castle at honky tonk piano accompanied by Buddy Merrill, Neil Levang and Jack Imel
13. MANHATTAN - Steve Smith
14. PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - Myron Floren at accordion with Lawrence and Cissy dancing and Bobby cutting in
15. MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS - Natalie Nevins

  
16. MOON OVER MIAMI - Joe Feeney
17. MENTION MY NAME IN SHEBOYGAN - sung and danced by Arthur Duncan and Jack Imel
18. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY - Bob Lido and Larry Hooper
19. DENVER - Dick Dale
20. ST. LOUIS BLUES - Bob Havens on trombone

This episode marked Ken Delo's debut with the Musical Family, little did the Maestro and everyone else knew that he would be more than just another male vocalist.

Tanya's cover version of "Can't Buy Me Love" was off her Ranwood Records solo album Let It Be Me....here she is, off the sick list.  

Oh yeah, and she was this week's interview by Mary Lou.....

Maybe one of these days, the rest of us will have our prayers answered and actually get to see this episode.

Until then, keep a song in your heart and don't forget to mention my name in Tacoma!

Musical Tour of the USA - The episode only a fortunate few have seen

The Christmas of '69

The Sixties went out with a bang, courtesy of the Music Makers

Dick Dale with his kids

Santa Claus coming to town, shagadelic style.....

Heidi and Myron Floren playing "The Happy Wanderer"....

And you have Jack, Arthur and Bobby entertaining the kids....

Gina Amodeo approves!

If you're wondering, these are clips from OETA's Welk Holiday Special, I do not have a copy of the original 1969 Xmas show.

Santa, if you're listening....I've been good this year

The Christmas of '69

Occupations

And now this week, the music makers pay salute to the men and women and their occupations....in form of this show that first aired on March 8, 1969.

Here's the opening number, "The Trolley Song".....as the gang head off for work.

Next, we go to outer space with Sandi & Sally as astronauts as they sing, "We'll Make It To The Moon Tonight".

Here's Cissy King giving Bobby Burgess dance lessons.....

Now we find Dick Dale working on the lines first as a Wichita Lineman while Tanya plays operator next with the number "Call Me".

....and just to clarify, this version of Call Me is not and I repeat NOT the one Deborah Harry and Blondie sang that became a Top Ten hit in 1980.

Next, backstage at a cattle call.....officer Joe Feeney joins aspiring singer Natalie Nevins with "Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral" which by the way is an Irish Lullaby.

And Frank Scott does a great job with the piano work here....

Other fine numbers include "Penthouse Serenade" by Norma Zimmer and Jimmy Roberts, Andra Willis with "Salt & Pepper", Myron Floren with the Circus Polka and Larry Hooper with "Sixteen Tons".

This week, Mary Lou has Jack Imel in the hot seat....and as always, Professor Spoons has plenty to say.

See you next week for more Welk fun on public television, and enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

Occupations

Music Memories from 1969

This week's show, and the first one for 2008, is a repeat titled "Music Memories" which originally aired on January 25, 1969.

Here are some highlights....such as Bobby & Cissy doing some fine dancing to the "Pennsylvania Polka" performed on the squeezebox of Myron Floren.

Also, there's Larry Hooper singing Phil Harris' signature song, "That's What I Like About The South".

Next, lets go on a "Sentimental Journey" the breezy and jazzy way with Tanya Falan!

How about a boogie to Woody Herman's "Woodchopper's Ball" performed by the Champagne Music Makers?

And as for an added bonus, a clip of Sandi Griffiths, Sally Flynn and Andra Willis as a trio singing the Andrews Sisters' "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen"

Next week, the show will feature their "All Time Favorites"....a new one to be exact!

Until then, good wishes and a very pleasant week for you all!

Music Memories from 1969

Musical Tour of the USA

Well, it took a lot of wheeling and dealing...plus some divine intervention as well...and I was able to get a copy of the "Musical Tour of the USA" episode that aired two weeks ago.

Here are some highlights, such as the gang with the opening number, "This Land Is Your Land".

This episode, first aired on June 1969....has a lot of great numbers, such as the band's arrangement of "Chicago" plus the Maestro was on the organ along with Frank Scott and Bob Ralston for "I Love You Truly" and a great dance routine by Bobby & Cissy to the song "Galveston".

I don't know if this is his debut appearance, but here's Ken Delo with Lawrence after singing his signature hit, the Hawaiian Wedding Song.

Like the United States itself, this episode is filled with diversity....in song that is!

I liked Tanya Falan's version of the Beatles' smash "Can't Buy Me Love", plus Jo Ann Castle's "On The Beach At Waikiki" on the ragtime 88s.

And here's a real treat, Ralna English in the solo spot singing "Buy The Time I Get To Phoenix" which I really liked as well....and I betcha Glen Campbell did too.

Sandi & Sally sang "Do You Know The Way To San Jose" while Bob Lido and Larry Hooper sang about their San Fernando Valley is their home, plus Steve Smith sang about he and his girl will take Manhattan (the Bronx and Staten Island).

And what fine way to end the show than with Bob Havens on his trombone playing the "St. Louis Blues" which the musical family really dig!

Tanya was in the hot seat for one of Mary Lou's interviews, she talked about her family....which included her son Nicky's recent wedding.....her recent work noth as a designer and singer, she recently was part of the Chicago Barrister's Ball which sounds like alot of fun along with her adventures on the Welk show.

That's what I call an hour well spent! Now if I can only get a copy of the "Salute to Johnny Mercer" episode....everything will be right in this world.

Musical Tour of the USA

Scenes from a small town

Lets pay a visit to Small Town USA, from this Lawrence Welk Show that originally aired in the Spring of 1969.

Riding into town....is Myron Floren as "Doc Floren"

Right now at the local barbershop, Larry Hooper gets both a cut, shave and a song....try finding that at your local suburban Supercuts!

It's time for school.....lets find out what Natalie Nevins is teaching her pupils today......

Nect, at the local general store, business is very brisk.....the customers find time to play a game of checkers.....

And here comes the most popular girls in town, Sandi & Sally!

Try finding this much fun and excitement in the big city!

Scenes from a small town