Mickey McMahan playing his trumpet
Jimmy Roberts, singing for the ladies as always.
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Showing posts with label Mickey McMahan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mickey McMahan. Show all posts
Saturday, March 26, 2011
More Champagne Artwork
Here's two of my latest drawings of the Musical Family.....
Mickey McMahan playing his trumpet
Jimmy Roberts, singing for the ladies as always.
Mickey McMahan playing his trumpet
Jimmy Roberts, singing for the ladies as always.
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Lawrence Welk's Big Band Splash
And now the time has arrived for the 15th Lawrence Welk public television pledge special, Big Band Splash.
With your host Doc Severinsen!
It was an entertaining program, filled with clips from several episodes from the show featuring the band and the Musical Family performing the classic songs from that era.
Big Band icons like Glenn Miller, Harry James, The Dorsey Brothers, Artie Shaw and Duke Ellington were featured.
It was also nice that the special featured many of Welk's orchestra in the spotlight, such as Dave Edwards on the saxophone playing Contrasts made famous by Jimmy Dorsey.
I also liked Bob Ralston's rendition of Paul Whiteman's Rhapsody In Blue, in which every time I hear it, for some reason thoughts of the old United Airlines commercials with Gene Hackman narrating come to mind.
And what can I say about the trumpet section's arrangement of The Dipsy Doodle....
Johnny Zell, Mickey McMahan, Charlie Parlato and Norman Bailey were all outstanding!
But that was just a sample of the fine instrumentals featured in the program, many of the featured singers had the spotlight such as Tanya Falan's excellent version of the Sammy Kaye song Daddy.
Other singers featured were Mary Lou Metzger and Champagne Lady Alice Lon with different versions of Harry James' "You Made Me Love You". The differences were that Mary Lou went with the Dear Mr. Gable route while Alice from Dallas just sang it straight up.
I was disappointed that the special did not feature any Sandi, Gail and Mary Lou numbers. Their version of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by the Andrews Sisters in my opinion would be considered big band and would have been a good fit.
But Toot Toot Tootsie by Bob Lido and the Hotsy Totsy Boys? That, by the way was the final number featured in the special, and by the way, I always thought Al Jolson was more Music Hall than Big Band.
Oh, and here's an extreme close up of Bob Havens and his trumpet.
Doc himself was featured, when he guested on the Welk show in 1972 playing the theme song from the movie "Love Story".
His performance and talent was picture perfect excellence and well done, but for his wardrobe.....we'll the jury is still out on that.
In all, it was a wunnerful, wunnerful special.
And no pledge special would be complete without Bob Allen and Mary Lou in the studio with the pledge breaks.
So until next time, keep a song in your heart and may the only Blues in the Night you get are the St. Louis Blues playing hockey.
With your host Doc Severinsen!
It was an entertaining program, filled with clips from several episodes from the show featuring the band and the Musical Family performing the classic songs from that era.
Big Band icons like Glenn Miller, Harry James, The Dorsey Brothers, Artie Shaw and Duke Ellington were featured.
It was also nice that the special featured many of Welk's orchestra in the spotlight, such as Dave Edwards on the saxophone playing Contrasts made famous by Jimmy Dorsey.
I also liked Bob Ralston's rendition of Paul Whiteman's Rhapsody In Blue, in which every time I hear it, for some reason thoughts of the old United Airlines commercials with Gene Hackman narrating come to mind.
And what can I say about the trumpet section's arrangement of The Dipsy Doodle....
Johnny Zell, Mickey McMahan, Charlie Parlato and Norman Bailey were all outstanding!
But that was just a sample of the fine instrumentals featured in the program, many of the featured singers had the spotlight such as Tanya Falan's excellent version of the Sammy Kaye song Daddy.
Other singers featured were Mary Lou Metzger and Champagne Lady Alice Lon with different versions of Harry James' "You Made Me Love You". The differences were that Mary Lou went with the Dear Mr. Gable route while Alice from Dallas just sang it straight up.
I was disappointed that the special did not feature any Sandi, Gail and Mary Lou numbers. Their version of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by the Andrews Sisters in my opinion would be considered big band and would have been a good fit.
But Toot Toot Tootsie by Bob Lido and the Hotsy Totsy Boys? That, by the way was the final number featured in the special, and by the way, I always thought Al Jolson was more Music Hall than Big Band.
Oh, and here's an extreme close up of Bob Havens and his trumpet.
Doc himself was featured, when he guested on the Welk show in 1972 playing the theme song from the movie "Love Story".
His performance and talent was picture perfect excellence and well done, but for his wardrobe.....we'll the jury is still out on that.
In all, it was a wunnerful, wunnerful special.
And no pledge special would be complete without Bob Allen and Mary Lou in the studio with the pledge breaks.
So until next time, keep a song in your heart and may the only Blues in the Night you get are the St. Louis Blues playing hockey.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Tanya Falan Hairstyle of the Week - Walkin' The Floor Over You
Monday, April 12, 2010
A Musical Appreciation for Mickey McMahan
One of the finest in the business, Mickey was First Trumpet Chair in the Welk Orchestra....
He also toured with Bob Hope for many years as a part of the Les Brown Orchestra, especially when they went overseas to entertain for the troops.
Here's an example of Mickey's brilliant work on the trumpet, from 1973 here he is in the solo spot playing "Tres Palabras"
He also toured with Bob Hope for many years as a part of the Les Brown Orchestra, especially when they went overseas to entertain for the troops.
Here's an example of Mickey's brilliant work on the trumpet, from 1973 here he is in the solo spot playing "Tres Palabras"
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Real Spirit of Christmas
This week, it was the Christmas Show from 1972 that was aired on public television stations from sea to shining sea.
From that show, let's say hello to some of the families of the Musical Family!
From that show, let's say hello to some of the families of the Musical Family!
Robbie Smale (Bob Smale's son) tickles the ivories with the Maestro looking on....
Here's Barney Liddell (trombone) with his wife Arlene and two of his kids, son John and daughter Rachel....
Now it's Mickey McMahan's (first trumpet) turn....
.....and we also have Lawrence with his grand-daughter Christina.
Bob Davis (reeds & woodwinds) has his turn in the spotlight!
And of course, here's the Griffiths family, Sandi and Brent....
And finally, here's Henry Cuesta and Larry Hooper!
This is what Christmas and the holiday season is all about.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
TV themes we would've loved to hear on the Welk show
There are so many to choose from, and that's why I'll be posting regularly on this subject.
Great television shows are known for it's iconic theme songs, and the Champagne Music Makers have performed many of them on the Welk show over the years (Happy Days, The Tonight Show, My Three Sons, etc...)
And there are some that we would have loved to hear the Maestro's band play,
....one of them is the theme for Coronation Street.
Great television shows are known for it's iconic theme songs, and the Champagne Music Makers have performed many of them on the Welk show over the years (Happy Days, The Tonight Show, My Three Sons, etc...)
And there are some that we would have loved to hear the Maestro's band play,
....one of them is the theme for Coronation Street.
A quick refresher course not familiar....Coronation Street is a popular British soap opera that has aired on ITV since 1960. If you live close to the Canadian border here in the good ol' USA....it's also aired on CBC...or in my case, their Windsor affiliate (Canada likes the show too!)
It takes place in the northern working-class English town of Weatherford, and it has famous characters such as Ken Barlow, Ena Sharples, Bet Lynch, etc....more can be read from it's Wikipedia article.
But it has a great theme song done Big Band style composed by Eric Spear, click here to listen to it.
After listening, you can agree it would be tailor-made for Lawrence Welk and his orchestra....I can just picture the trumpet solo either done by Mickey McMahan
...or Johnny Zell
....and it's great clarinet solo by Henry Cuesta
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Mickey McMahan obituary
Here's a brief obituary of Welk trumpet player Mickey McMahan from the All About Jazz webpage.
MICKEY McMAHAN OBIT FROM ALL ABOUT JAZZ
MICKEY McMAHAN OBIT FROM ALL ABOUT JAZZ
Monday, June 16, 2008
Monday, Monday
For those who don't believe that I live in Toledo....here's some proof.
On my way back from the Steve & Barry's store in Woodville (I bought two great pairs of Starbury sneakers for $19), I stopped by the corner of Front and Consaul over on the East Side and took this nice picture of the world famous Tony Packo's Cafe.
That's the place Corporal Klinger talked about on M*A*S*H....and their Hungarian-style hot dogs are tasty!
On my way back from the Steve & Barry's store in Woodville (I bought two great pairs of Starbury sneakers for $19), I stopped by the corner of Front and Consaul over on the East Side and took this nice picture of the world famous Tony Packo's Cafe.
That's the place Corporal Klinger talked about on M*A*S*H....and their Hungarian-style hot dogs are tasty!
And since famous people have autographed hot dog buns adorning its walls, I am guessing that Lawrence Welk was among them.
I wonder if any of the Musical Family ever ate at Packo's when they visited Toledo?
Sad news to report....I got word from one of the Welk Yahoo groups that longtime First Trumpet player Mickey McMahan passed away last Wednesday.
He was a brilliant trumpet player, playing not just for the Maestro but also with Les Brown and Bob Hope on many of his USO performances for our brave men and women in uniform.
I'll add more once I find an online obituary....and promise to send the link.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Trumpet Trumpet Trumpet
As we continue on our weekly tour of the orchestra, lets look at some of the fine trumpet players that have tooted their horns for Lawrence Welk!
There's George "Gus" Thow and Art Depew...
...and here's Rocky Rockwell from St. Joe,
...and let's not forget Dick Catchart, Mickey McMahan and Norman Bailey,
....and here's Johnny Zell, the gold standard of all trumpet players...
...and finally, Charlie Parlato and Laroon Holt.
Nice to hear that wunnerful trumpet sound again boys!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Mickey McMahan
Today by the way is August 23rd....it's first trumpet player's Mickey McMahan's birthday! From 1967 to 1982, this native of Phoenix, AZ has put the pizazz in the Welk orchestra's brass section by leading his mates with his superb artistry with the trumpet. He still on occasion performs live at night clubs and big bands around his Los Angeles home.Lets give a toot and a toast for Mickey....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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