The Great Gershwin '72

Hello again fellow Welkies!

This past weekend, we got the second-to-last "new" episode of the season, a musical salute to the works of George Gershwin which originally aired in 1972.

And let's go to the highlights!

Clay Hart wears a cowboy hat.....

Ralna gives Guy the evil eye.....

.....and Tanya flirts with Buddy Merrill.

THE GREAT GERSHWIN - November 11, 1972

1. OF THEE I SING - Ken, Mary Lou, Bobby, Cissy, Gail, Dick, Tanya , Jimmy, Ralna & Guy
2. I GOT RHYTHM - tap danced by Arthur Duncan
3. SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME - Norma Zimmer
4. RHAPSODY IN BLUE - Bob Ralston at the piano
5. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT - Ken Delo

6. THE MAN I LOVE - danced by Bobby Burgess and Cissy King
7. LET'S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF - Guy Hovis and Ralna English
8. DO, DO, DO - Sandi Griffiths and Sally Flynn
9. SOMEBODY LOVES ME - the orchestra
10. BIDIN' MY TIME - Clay Hart (also on guitar)

11. I'VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU - Tanya Falan with Buddy Merrill on guitar
12. SWANEE - Jimmy Roberts with Neil Levang on banjo, Bob Ralston at piano, Richard Maloof on tuba and Jack Imel on spoons
13. SUMMERTIME - Joe Livoti on violin with Bob Ralston at the Thomas organ
14. MINE - Dick Dale with Gail Farrell and Mary Lou Metzger

15. LADY BE GOOD - Henry Cuesta on clarinet with Neil Levang on guitar, Richard Maloof on bass and Johnny Klein on drums
16. LIZA - Myron Floren on the PAN accordion
17. LOVED WALKED IN - Joe Feeney with Bob Ralston at piano
18. S'WONDERFUL - Bob Havens on trombone with Bob Smale at piano and featuring Arthur, Cissy, Bobby, Mary Lou, Dick, Gail, Norma, Jimmy, Guy, Ralna, Tanya and Ken

Once again, the Music Makers hit another one out of the park with a fine hours' worth of music and entertainment.

Henry Cuesta had just joined the orchestra as the Lawrence's featured clarinet player, and even though he jokingly chided him about getting a haircut, you can tell that the Maestro really thought the world of Henry and his musical talents.

And up until Henry's passing in 2003, fans like myself shared the Maestro's sentiments.

On a lighter note, I thought Tanya's rendition of "I've Got a Crush On You" was cute. One can only imagine what thoughts ran through Buddy Merrill's head.

Oh well, until next time, remember to keep a song in your heart and while you say oysters, I say errsters!

    

The Great Gershwin '72

Home from Lancaster, with pictures and all

Well, I am back home, tired just like any traveler.

But it was worth as I had fun, fun, fun. As in Welk Stars in concert fun.

That's me with the lovely Anacani. There's more of that where it came from!

In addition to Anacani, Guy & Ralna, Ken Delo and Mary Lou Metzger sang and dance on stage, to the delight of yours truly, my friends at Welknotes and the fans at the American Music Theater on Father's Day.

And I just made an album on the webpage, just click on the picture below to view them!

 

Home from Lancaster, with pictures and all

Happy Halloween!

Just be safe when you are out trick or treating!

 

Happy Halloween!

At last, Toledo finally got to see that Marvin Hamlisch special

You know, the one everyone was talking about....

In a nutshell, it was originally a made as a public television pledge drive special hosted by Marvin himself. 

Marvin Hamlisch Presents the 70s; The Way We Were featured some of your favorite songs from the decade performed by the icons from that era, such as Freda Payne, Marilyn McCoo, Bobby Goldsboro, B.J Thomas and Ray Stevens just to name a few.

But for us Welk fans, it was that Guy & Ralna that was also featured amongst the roster of stars in the show, which was taped at Lindenwood University located just outside of St. Louis.

They sang "Just An Old Fashioned Love Song" which was a big hit for Three Dog Night in 1971. And by the way, our Favorite Singing Married Couple covered that same song some thirty odd years ago on the Welk show too.

That was not the only number they did, G&R also covered "Put Your Hand In The Hand", "You Needed Me" and "Lean On Me" in the show as well, but they were not included in the original broadcast. You have to get the companion CD and DVD for those numbers and much more bonus stuff as well.

Here they are, in all their glory....

And by the way, they were terrific as always!

At last, Toledo finally got to see that Marvin Hamlisch special

Salute to Vincent Youmans

That's the episode shown this Super Bowl weekend, here are some of the highlights.....

Sandi and Sally look snazzy in their outfits, which also can be at the car wash for washing and buffing....

 
The Maestro gets in a polka dance with Cissy.....

Judging from the look of Ralna's face, Guy must be in her dog house, so he's trying to get back in her good graces by singing....

.....and Kenny the Sailor Man gets acquainted with the locals.

And here's my Super Bowl prediction:

STEELERS 19, PACKERS 16

Salute to Vincent Youmans

On this day, 42 years ago.....

Guy and Ralna got married.....

It was a union that lasted 15 years, hundreds of episodes, countless reruns and concert appearances.

Can't believe it's been that long.

On this day, 42 years ago.....

Scenes from the County Fair

Like the song suggests, "It's fun going to the county fair!"

So let's go there and check out the fun!

Guy & Ralna eating some cotton candy, little did they know it's made from real cotton....

Bobby Burgess pretends that his watermelon is a bowling ball.....

The Maestro tries out his joy buzzer on George Cates....

.....and Ken Delo is getting ready for his closeup.

Scenes from the County Fair

Champagne Halloween: Guy & Ralna

Here they are dressed up as cowpokes just off the Santa Fe Trail...

Trick or treat!

Champagne Halloween: Guy & Ralna

Moments to Remember

....is sweet if one has not forgotten them.

This week's show was Do You Remember? It's a nice trip down memory lane to the days of youth gone by.

Here's the rundown of the show and song listings....one of the numbers is Guy & Ralna's rendition of "Moments to Remember"

Moments to Remember

Salute to Grammy Award Winning Songs

Ah....the Grammies, they are the awards given out to the music industry's best, so they say.

If so, how do you explain recording legends like Milli Vanilli, Zack Braff and Senator Everett Dirksen listed as Grammy winners?

But that's for another time, this week the Champagne Music Makers salute the Grammy's best in this 1974 episode!

Highlights include Ralna and Lawrence sharing a dance....

....Jack Imel doing his version of the Sermon on the Mount

....and the Musical Family pretending they're Bob Havens

GRAMMY AWARD WINNING SONGS - January 5, 1974

1. COME TO THE CABARET - Larry (Hooper), Bobby, Cissy, Mary Lou, Anacani, Gail, Ken & Arthur
2. PUT YOUR HAND IN THE HAND - Guy Hovis & Ralna English
3. I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU - orchestra featuring the saxophone section
4. MICHELLE - Ken Delo
5. THEME FROM EXODUS - orchestra conducted by George Cates featuring Bob Smale and Bob Ralston at piano

6. LES BICYCLETTES DE BELSIZE - Anacani with Bob Ralston at the organ
7. STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT - Tom Netherton
8. WHAT NOW MY LOVE - danced by Bobby Burgess and Cissy King
9. PEOPLE - Tanya Falan

10. MOON RIVER - Norma Zimmer
11. GAMES PEOPLE PLAY - orchestra featuring Neil Levang on guitar, Henry Cuesta on clarinet, Russ Klein on saxophone and Bob Havens on trombone
12. LITTLE GREEN APPLES - Clay Hart
13. CATCH A FALLING STAR - Dick Dale with Cissy, Mary Lou (Metzger), Tanya, Norma, Sandi (Griffiths), Gail (Farrell) and Anacani

14. ROSE GARDEN - Ralna English featuring a little dance with Lawrence
15. MACK THE KNIFE - danced by Arthur Duncan
16. MORE - Jimmy Roberts
17. MEDLEY OF MEREDITH WILSON SONGS FROM THE MUSIC MAN
     a) SEVENTY SIX TROMBONES - the orchestra
     b) GARY, INDIANA - danced by Bobby and Cissy
     c) TIL' THERE WAS YOU - Joe Feeney
     d) (YA' GOT) TROUBLE - Jack Imel with entire cast
     e) SEVENTY SIX TROMBONES REPRISE - Jack, Mary Lou, Arthur, Dick, Sandi, Tanya, Ken, Guy, Ralna, Norma, Jimmy, Joe, Gail

A wunnerful episode in my opinion, based on the fact that the songs featured were actually those well deserved of winning the Grammy.

That meant you didn't hear them sing Milli Vanilli's "Girl You Know It's True" although it would have sounded better....and it was actually sung!

Also, maybe this episode should have been called "Forever Plaid" considering an outbreak of plaid on the set......

And our own Clay Hart was nominated for a Grammy back in 1969, for his album "Spring". He would be a well deserving winner, but lost out to another well deserved artist, Johnny Cash.
 
So until next week, keep a song in your heart and if you haven't won a Grammy, just blame it on the rain.

Salute to Grammy Award Winning Songs

This just in.....

Some exciting Musical Family related news....

Guy & Ralna have decided to remarry

Sandi and Sally have reunited to record their follow up album to "The Now Sounds Of..."

.....and most importantly, the Musical Family will reunite in Branson to begin taping a spectacular pledge special known as "Milestones & Memories 2 Electric Boogaloo"

Just kidding.....APRIL FOOLS!

Had you going for a moment, eh?

This just in.....

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Let's join Guy & Ralna with a traditional Irish blessing

May the roads rise to meet you
May the wind be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
The rain fall soft upon your fields
And, until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Champagne Christmas Capers #2

From 1972, the Musical Family is dreaming of a White Christmas, like Bing Crosby did back in the 1940s.

Joe Feeney and Tanya Falan are both thinkin' of getting their shopping done.

Joe looks forward to taking his kids to see Santa while Tanya dreads fighting mall traffic at the Pottery Barn and FYE....

Jimmy Roberts is thinking of re-gifting the sportsjacket he's wearing while Norma Zimmer is looking forward to the season's first snowfall....

Guy and Ralna have thoughts of their relatives invading their home for the holidays (will it be turkey or ham this year?)....

Mary Lou Metzger is excited about watching "It's a Wonderful Life" on TV while Ken Delo is pondering whether to get a real tree or an artifical one to decorate...

....and Gail Farrell is dreaming of singing Christmas Carols in snazzy, jazzy style while Dick Dale plots to get his grandkids the GI Joe doll with the super cool Kung Fu Action Grip

Whatever each one may be thinking, they're all dreaming of a White Christmas!

Champagne Christmas Capers #2