Frank Scott Plays Harpsichord

As plenty of us Welk fans know, Frank Scott was a multi-talented keyboardist and arranger for the Lawrence Welk Orchestra from 1956 to 1969.

The native son of Fargo, North Dakota was a natural playing the piano, harpsichord and the Vox.

Perhaps the greatest example of his work came from his 1962 Dot Records album Frank Scott Plays Harpsichord

Each and every of the tracks is a instrumental gem, like Boogie Woogie, Yankee Doodle Rag and Woodchopper's Ball just to name a few. You can find the album at a vintage record shop near you or search on ebay or any fine reputable online auction site.

In the meantime, here's two of the tracks from the album you can have a sample with.

CARMEN'S BOOGIE

KITTEN ON THE KEYS

Frank Scott Plays Harpsichord

Things go better with Skokiaan

From 1968, here's the boys in the band with their rendition of the instrumental piece known to music lovers everywhere as just one word.

Skokiaan.

Your featured musicians are Frank Scott at the Vox, Neil Levang on guitar, Richard Maloof on bass guitar, Bob Davis and Dave Edwards on clarinet, Johnny Klein on drums and Jack Imel at the marimba.

Things go better with Skokiaan

Those Champagne Jazz Sessions of the 1960s

You know you want to jazz it up with the quartet of Neil Levang, Buddy Clark, Johnny Klein and Frank Scott!

 

Those Champagne Jazz Sessions of the 1960s

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

Can't Take My Eyes Off You

Featuring Frank Scott at the harpsichord....

....and vocal backing by Sally, Sandi and Tanya

Can't Take My Eyes Off You

Anyone want some Apples and Bananas?

From 1965, here's organist Jerry Burke in one of his last appearances on the Welk show before his death as he joins Frank Scott at the harpsichord and Buddy Merrill at guitar as they play "Apples & Bananas" one of the Welk orchestra's popular recordings.

Anyone want some Apples and Bananas?

Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio

Usually means Lawrence Welk on my public television station....

For some reason, they showed the TV Treasures special in place of this week's program, Music Memories of 1969.

Must be working out the bugs for that switch to digital television.

Some highlights from '69....Cissy & Bobby are getting the audience involved...

Also we have the twin pianists of Bob Ralston and Frank Scott.

The Curt Ramsey Quintet....with Andra Willis as a member

And finally, Bob Havens making some trombone magic....

Hopefully, by next week....the bugs will be worked out both at WGTE and me, nothing says winter more so than a nasty cold, and I just happened to catch one!

Someone pass the tissues please.

Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio

Wabash Cannonball

It's been a while since I last put a YouTube Welk clip on this blog, so what better way to get back in the saddle again with this all time favorite!

From 1966, Dick Cathcart, Frank Scott, Neil Levang and the rest of the fellas play "Wabash Cannonball"

Wabash Cannonball

A Pretty Girl

This week's Lawrence Welk Show is a classic black & white from May 27, 1961 titled "A Pretty Girl"....here are some of the highlights.

Jo Ann Castle and Myron Floren playing the "Hot Foot Polka"

Frank Scott at the harpischord playing "Love Those Eyes" with vocal assistance from Norma Zimmer

Special Guest Star Pat Boone singing "Moody River" deep in the Amazon rain forest.

And here's the Lennon Sisters getting a "Music Lesson" from Aladdin with help from the boys in the band

Only two shows left in the 2007-08 season! Next week, we're going to Hawaii so until then, take care.

A Pretty Girl

Frank Scott

Today, let's salute another fine and talented music maker from the Maestro's orchestra....it's fellow North Dakotan Frank Scott!

Born and raised in Fargo, Frank honed his musical talents both on the road with bands and at radio station WDAY until 1956 when he joined Lawrence Welk and his Champagne Music Makers.

His talents at the keyboard are impeccable, a master at both the piano and the harpischord....plus his work as an arranger is why the orchestra's sound has that funky, swinging beat of the sixties.

Over his career, he has done over 7,000 arrangements in all. Even though he passed on in 1995, his work lives on today in both reruns on television and the recordings from both the Coral, Dot and Ranwood labels.

Whenever you hear that nice harpischord sound in a musical number, think of Frank.

Frank Scott

Southtown USA

This week, it's a classic black & white episode as the Champagne Music makers celebrate the Old West with "Southtown USA", here's the gang gathered 'round the piano with Frank Scott tickling the ivories.

First aired on February 22, 1964....tonight's featured episode has several classic numbers, such as Norma Zimmer's "Wayward Wind" and the Lennon Sisters' "Hummingbird". Lawrence also features his special guest stars of the evening, the fabulous and legendary Mills Brothers with the numbers with "Paper Doll" and "It Hurts Me More Than It Hurts You".

Back to our Western-themed show, Larry Hooper does a great rendition of "This Old House" while the orchestra provides the studio audience with some great dancing music, such as "Misty" with Frank Scott at piano and "Stockholm" with great harpischord work by Frank as well! Also, Jerry Burke demonstrates his magic at the Novachord with the "Third Man" theme with help from Buddy Merrill and Neil Levang at the guitars.

And what show wouldn't be complete without Bobby Burgess and Barbara Boylan dancing to "Buttons and Bows".

Aladdin dresses up as an Old West old timer when he recites "Shifting, Whispering Sands" and Jo Ann Castle does a great job with her ragtime piano rendition of "Ragtime Piano Gal" with help from Bob Lido at vocals. If you throw in Jimmy Roberts' number "Beyond The Blue Horizon" and you got yourself a classic show worth watching over and over again!

This week, Mary Lou Metzger interviews Barbara Boylan, who danced with Bobby Burgess on the show from 1961 to 1967. She talks about how she started dancing at an young age, how she and Bobby first met...her adventures on the show and her courtship and marriage to one of the Blenders Greg Dixon. This year, they would be married for forty years....and have two fine children, David and Dee Dee and several grandchildren.

Next week....it's another mod sixties episode, this time in living color titled "Southern Show".....get your VCRs warmed up for this one!

Southtown USA

Wabash Cannonball

Here's one of my all-time favorite instrumentals by the Welk orchestra, Wabash Cannonball from 1966 with Dick Cathcart on trumpet, Neil Levang on guitar, Frank Scott at the harpischord with some great backing by both the string and trombone sections!

Wabash Cannonball

Picture of the day (1-10-07)

We gave you dueling banjos yesterday, now today I give you dueling pianos....Bob Ralston and Frank Scott giving their musical fingers a hearty workout!

Picture of the day (1-10-07)

Frank Scott

Here's a nice picture of pianist/arranger Frank Scott (1921-1995) after playing a nice instrumental of "Georgia On My Mind" from the Southern Show which aired a few weeks back.

Frank, of course, was with the Welk orchestra from 1956 to 1969 and has been very talented playing the piano, the harpischord and a terrific musical arranger. I always thought that the years he was on, especially during the 1960s, was when the music makers sounded their very best....and that's saying alot considering that all throughout the years, the Welk orchestra made such sweet music this side of heaven.

I would not be suprised if fellow pianists Jo Ann Castle, Bob Ralston, Bob Smale and Gail Farrell were inspired by Frank's artistry to shape their own keyboard talents.

Frank Scott