Thanksgiving '81

It's time to give thanks this week!

For family, freedom, the food we eat, and this weekend's Lawrence Welk episode which is the Thanksgiving show from 1981.

Here are the highlights,

Elaine kicks Bobby in the schnozz.....

Charlie Parlato discovers that girls dig trumbetta players.....

.....and Lawrence gets served.


THANKSGIVING - November 21, 1981

1. THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS - Ron, Michael, Ken, Bobby, Gail, Anacani, Elaine, Mary Lou, Roger, Sherry, Jim, Ava, Jimmy, David, Sheila, Arthur, Joe and Kathie
2. A HOUSE WITH LOVE IN IT - Guy Hovis and Ralna English
3. ON MOONLIGHT BAY - the orchestra
4. PUT YOUR HAND IN THE HAND - Anacani
5. TURKEY IN THE STRAW - danced by Bobby Burgess and Elaine Balden

6. WHOLE LOTTA THINGS TO SING ABOUT - Sheila & Sherry Aldridge and David & Roger Otwell
7. LOVE LIFTED ME - Henry Cuesta on clarinet
8. BY AND BY & IN THE SWEET BY AND BY - Gail Farrell, Ron Anderson and Michael Redman
9. A HOLIDAY FOR STRINGS - the orchestra conducted by George Cates
10. SEVENTY SIX TROMBONES - the orchestra

11. BE THANKFUL - Joe Feeney with backing vocals by Ava, Kathie, Sherry, Gail, Ralna, Mary Lou, Anacani, Sheila, David, Roger, Jim, Guy, Michael, Ron and Jimmy
12. BACK IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD - sung and danced by Arthur Duncan and Ken Delo
13. SINGING HYMNS IN THE EVENING (BY THE FIREPLACE) - Kathie Sullivan with Bob Ralston at the Hammond organ
14. WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE - the orchestra

15. YOU'RE THE REASON GOD MADE OKLAHOMA - Ava Barber and Jim Turner
16. BABY FACE - Bob Lido with Gail Farrell, Sheila Aldridge, Sherry Aldridge featuring Bob Havens on trombone, Russ Klein on saxophone, Charlie Parlato on trumbetta and Jack Imel on drums and musical spoons
17. THE SKATERS WALTZ - Myron Floren on accordion with Lawrence and Mary Lou Metzger dancing
18. WE GATHER TOGETHER - Ralna English with vocal backing from the cast

It's true, we all have plenty to be thankful for. Friends, Family and Good Health.

Until next time, keep a song in your heart and may your Thanksgiving turkey be plump, juicy and delicious!

Thanksgiving '81

You're Never Too Young

As we approach the autumn of this year, and our years....Lawrence and his Music Makers remind us in this week's episode that you're never too young.

Actually, it's the title of his 1981 bestselling book, co-written with Bernice McGeehan, but it is still great advice to live by!

Highlights from this week's episode include.....

Mary Lou catching up on her reading....

Kathie and Ken catching up on old times.....

and David, Guy, Roger and Jim sing a particular Oak Ridge Boys diddy.....

.....about this gal.

YOU'RE NEVER TOO YOUNG - December 5, 1981

1. YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO YOUNG - Bobby, Elaine, Guy, Ralna, Gail, Ron, David, Sheila, Ava, Sherry, Roger, Kathie, Joe, Anacani, Norma, Jimmy (Roberts), Mary Lou, Jim, Ken & Michael
2. YOUNG AT HEART - Tom Netherton
3. ISN'T IT ROMANTIC - The orchestra
4. CINCO ROBLES - Anacani
5. MAGGIE BLUES - Bob Havens on trombone

6. YOUNGER THAN SPRINGTIME - Joe Feeney with Bob Ralston on the Hammond organ
7. PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART - Sheila & Sherry Aldridge with David & Roger Otwell
8. PICK YOURSELF UP - Jack Imel and Mary Lou Metzger
9. MEDLEY OF SONGS FROM SNOW WHITE - The orchestra conducted by George Cates
10. SING SING SING - Paul Humphrey and Jack Imel on drums with Arthur Duncan dancing

11. MEMORIES - Norma Zimmer
12. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS - Gail Farrell, Ron Anderson and Michael Redman
13. YOU NEEDED ME - Guy Hovis and Ralna English
14. I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT - danced by Bobby Burgess and Elaine Balden

15. TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS - Ava Barber
16. ELVIRA - Jim Turner with David Otwell, Guy Hovis and Roger Otwell
17. KIDS - Kathie Sullivan and Ken Delo
18. ROLL OUT THE BARREL - Lawrence, Myron Floren & Joey Schmidt on accordion featuring Bobby, Elaine, Sheila, Sherry, Gail, Mary Lou, Jimmy, Ron, Michael and Joe

Until next week, remember to keep a song in your heart and always try to get by.....with a little help from your friends!

You're Never Too Young

Salute to our Senior Citizens

This week's episode, Lawrence and his Musical Family salutes the show's most loyal fans, the seniors.

Highlights from the show include.....

The Maestro gets mobbed by the ladies.....

Ken Delo takes the A Train.....

.....and Jack Imel enjoys a nice tall cold one.

SALUTE TO OUR SENIOR CITIZENS - March 21, 1981

1. DEARIE - Micheal, Sheila, Ron, Gail, Jimmy, Kathie, Ralna, Guy, Mary Lou, Ken, Sherry, Roger
2. DON'T LET THE GOOD LIFE PASS YOU BY - Ava Barber
3. SWEET AND LOVELY - the orchestra
4. WHEN YOU AND I WERE YOUNG MAGGIE - Guy Hovis & Ralna English
5. YOUNG AT HEART - the orchestra featuring Skeets Herfurt in saxophone

 
6. PRECIOUS MEMORIES - Sheila and Sherry Aldridge with David and Roger Otwell
7. I LOVE TO DANCE LIKE THEY USED TO DANCE - Ron Anderson, Ken Delo, Michael Redman with Bobby Burgess and Elaine Balden dancing
8. AS TIME GOES BY - Tom Netherton with Bob Ralston at the piano
9. YOU'RE AN OLD SMOOTHIE - the orchestra featuring Myron Floren on accordion with Lawrence doing a tag dance with the ladies
10. MEDLEY OF SONGS FROM ANNIE GET YOUR GUN - the orchestra with George Cates conducting

11. AMONG MY SOUVENIRS - Kathie Sullivan
12. WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR - Mary Lou Metzger and Jack Imel
13. LETS GO DANCE AGAIN - Ron Anderson, Gail Farrell and Michael Redman with Bob Smale at the piano
14. TRY TO REMEMBER - Jim Turner
15. NOBODY CARES ABOUT THE RAILROADS ANYMORE - Ken Delo with assist by Mary Lou Metzger and Arthur Duncan

16. EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSES - danced by Arthur Duncan
17. THE WALTZ OF THE BELLS - the orchestra with Richard Maloof on bass, Paul Humphrey on bells and danced by Lawrence and Mary Lou joined by Bobby and Elaine, Jack and Kathie and Micheal and Sheila

If you noticed that Anacani does not appear in this episode, at the time of taping she was being filmed for her part for the Luis Valdez movie Zoot Suit where she played a Pachuca vocalist.

Also, Jimmy Roberts does appear in this week's show, but strangely he does not have a solo number.

The next new episode won't be until November 5th so the next three weeks will be repeats, but as always until next time.....keep a song in your heart and take plenty of Geritol to feel stronger fast!

 

Salute to our Senior Citizens

It's all happening at the County Fair

This week's show, if you were able to get it, was the Carnival episode from 1981.

Let's see what is going on over at the midway....

"Sitting down on the job again? That will be TWO custard pies to the face!"

And the competitors take the customary bow of respect before tonight's match.....

  
"Ouch! That really hurts Gail!"

"And now let's groove on down the Soul Train Line to see what's jivin...."

It's all happening at the County Fair

George Thow from 1981

Today is a good day to pick up the trumpet again....

.....and jam Dixieland style with Bob Havens!

George Thow from 1981

On the road again, just can't wait to get back on the road again....

The life I love is making music with my friends....

....and I just can't wait to get on the road again.

This past Saturday, it was Highways and Byways from 1981, here's the rundown of the musical numbers

On the road again, just can't wait to get back on the road again....

Behind The Scenes with our Musical Family

Were back with regular weekly Welk episodes! This week is a classic, Behind The Scenes with our Musical Family from 1981, and the wraparounds are hosted by Mary Lou Metzger with a special cameo appearance by Richard Maloof.

Here's the gang with the opening number, "Teamwork."

This is one of my favorite later Welk shows, it shows the versitility of the music makers which make for great numbers and skits. Anacani, being an expert seamstress along with her singing talents, shows off her fine red dress in "The Lady In Red" while Mary Lou teams up with Jack Imel in top hats and tails for "Top Hat and Tails". Also, we have Elaine Niverson (Balden) and Bobby Burgess teaching everyone how to dance....which at the end, comes complete with a nice blast from the past!

Take it from these two, learning to dance is both easy and fun!

The band did very well with instrumentals, with "You Gotta Have Heart" being the most notable. Ken Delo is clowning around with "What Kind Of Fool Am I?" and you have the Aldridges and Otwells at their best with "One Of These Songs" where at the end, Sheila shows off her stuff...and gets the hook!

Always the matinee idol, Tom Netherton is surround by the ladies wearing exotic costumes from the Ice Follies known as the "Big Uglies" in the number, "A Pretty Girl" and later, the ladies play receptionists on the job, and not on a coffee break, with "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter."

Guy & Ralna came up with another musical gem with one of their favorites, "You Are My Best Friend" and the band, under George Cates direction, plays "Send In The Clowns." The show closes in fine style with "Applause, Applause" complete with a quick change of wardrobe and of course, applause!

That's all for this week....just two days until the Live Lawrence Welk Show comes to town!

Behind The Scenes with our Musical Family