Lawrence Welk on the Radio!

As someone who is in radio myself, what I am hearing these days they call entertainment is well....crap.

Thankfully, there is relief thanks to the internet and the words up from my buddy Peter.

Just visit Lawrence Welk Radio at Live365.com for 24/7 Champagne Music, it will keep a song in your heart and your car stereo happy!

Oh, and you're welcome.

Lawrence Welk on the Radio!

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

The Champagne Five - Favorite Covers of Oscar Nominated Songs

Tomorrow night is the Academy Awards, where the movie industry celebrates what Hollywood has done the past year....

And here, the Music Makers salute the songs that were nominated for an Oscar, and some of them actually won the coveted statuette.

So on this version of the Champagne Five, here are my top five favorite covers of original Academy Award nominated songs sung by the Musical Family.

5. THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN - Norma Zimmer and Jimmy Roberts do an excellent job with this 1954 Oscar winner from the movie of the same name. They just seem to be a perfect fit for the lyrics and the melodies featured.

4. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? - This 1969 Best Song nominee was originally written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman for the movie The Happy Ending. Ken Delo, sitting by the camera, does a great, melancholic solo of this tune.

3. RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD - You may know it by B.J. Thomas' version that won the 1969 Oscar, but Sandi & Sally do a great upbeat and sunny version of it dressed as Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid.

Let's see Paul Newman and Robert Redford top that!

 
2. GEORGY GIRL - An Oscar nominee from 1966, the Music Makers do a great arrangement as an instrumental accompanied by vocal arrangements from Guy, Ralna, Norma, Jimmy, Bobby and Cissy. Bob Ralston provides great work at the harpsichord and the reed section's flute sounds give this version a pleasant beat and a good rhythm tune.

 
1. SECRET LOVE - You may know this 1953 Oscar winner from Calamity Jane as a romantic love song. It has been covered on the show many times before as a melancholic solo piece, but I love how this is arranged as a jazzy and upbeat vocal group number. Bob Ralston strikes again with his keyboard work and contributions from the trumpet section makes this classic an enjoyable and easy listening piece.



We'll that's my two cents, only thing left is wait for the envelope with this year's winners.

The Champagne Five - Favorite Covers of Oscar Nominated Songs

Turn your radio on to Lawrence Welk!

Back before television, Lawrence Welk and his Music Makers had their own radio program.

And like the TV show, it was broadcast nationwide sponsored by Miller High Life, the Champagne of Beers.

My friend Kendrick found the following pair of rare radio clips of the Maestro and the Champagne Music Makers. For you younger fans, this should be a new experience, and for those who remember those days, I hope this trip down memory lane brings back memories.

The first clip is broadcast from Chicago's Trianon Ballroom



And this one is a live remote
 

Turn your radio on to Lawrence Welk!

I Am the United States

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

To help put our celebration of independence into proper perspective, I present Aladdin from last week's show reciting the inspirational poem "I Am the United States"

I don't know who originally wrote this, but if I ever do, I like to thank him or her for writing this for everyone to share and be inspired!

I am the United States.

I was born on July 4, 1776
and the Declaration of Independence is my birth certificate.

The bloodlines of the world run in my veins
because I offered freedom to the oppressed
I am many things and many people.

I am the United States.

I am 180 million living souls
and the ghosts of millions who have lived and died for me.
I am Nathan Hale, Paul Revere, Washington, Jefferson and Patrick Henry
I am John Paul Jones, The Green Mountain Boys and Davy Crockett

I am Independence Hall,the Monitor and the Merrimac
I am Lee, Grant and Abe Lincoln.

I remember the Alamo, the Maine and Pearl Harbor.
When freedom called I answered and stayed until it was over
over there.

I am the Brooklyn Bridge, the wheat lands of Kansas
and the granite hills of Vermont.
I am the coal fields of the Virginias and Pennsylvania
the fertile lands of the West
the Golden Gate and the Grand Canyon.

Ohhhh I am big, I sprawl from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Three million square miles throbbing with industry

I am George Washington Carver, Daniel Webster and Jonas Salk
I am more than 170,000 schools and colleges
and 250,000 churches where my people worship God as they think best

I am the roar of a crowd in a stadium
and the voice of a choir in a cathedral

I am Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower
and John F. Kennedy.

Yes, I am the nation and these are the things that I am.
I was conceived in freedom
and God willing, in freedom I will spend the rest of my days.
May I possess always the integrity, the courage and the strength
to keep myself unshackled, to remain a citadel of freedom
and a beacon of hope to the world.

I AM THE UNITED STATES.

I Am the United States

Myron Floren Disco Polka

Polka and Disco, two great music genres that go great together.

And Myron Floren was able to make that happen!

The year was 1977, and disco hit the big time with movies like Saturday Night Fever and acts like the Bee Gees, Donna Summer and Chic provided the music at discotheques like Studio 54.

And it was only natural for Lawrence Welk's Musical Family to put on their boogie shoes, with the Happy Norwegian leading the way!

This album contains several of your favorites done with that disco sound, such as this treatment of the Beer Barrel Polka.

And also the Clarinet Polka....

Let's see John Travolta and his white polyester suit groove to that!

Myron Floren Disco Polka

Sandi & Sally - If He Would Care

Here's another audio treasure from the far reaches of the internets right onto this fine blog!

Here's Sandi & Sally with the song "If He Would Care"

It was recorded and released as a single by Capitol Records in 1967, a year before they joined the Welk Show. They showcased the harmonies and sound that would soon make them famous.

It's quite catchy, like many of the 1960s pop songs. And the Maestro would approve!

Sandi & Sally - If He Would Care

Knock Knock, Who's There?

That's the title of a single recorded by Andra Willis on the Paramount Records label.

Written by John Carter and Geoff Stevens, this catchy little pop diddy was covered by several artists. Andra's version was released in the summer of 1970, about a year after leaving the Lawrence Welk Show.

It was a regional hit, and it even made the hit parade on radio station KXOK 630 AM in St. Louis that August.

So have a listen for yourself, it's catchy and got quite a beat!

Knock Knock, Who's There?

The Party of No No Nanette

Last week, we enjoyed the Music Makers with their salute to the songs of Vincent Youmans.

And one of those songs was "No No Nanette" with the music written by Youmans, with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach.

Mary Lou Metzger performed the song both at Tahoe, on last week's show and on record.

Just sit back, relax and turn up the volume to hear Mary Lou's recording from the No No Nanette album from Ranwood Records

The Party of No No Nanette

Love Can Be a Pain In The Heart

Tomorrow is the Aldridge Sisters and Otwell Twins concert at Bear Creek Farms in which I will be attending.

Nothing like spending a day out in the country!

And speaking of country, another Welk Milestone and Memory was made in 1983 when the Aldridge Sisters; Sherry and Sheila, appeared on the popular variety show Hee Haw.

The girls sang one of their songs on the show, titled "Love Can Be a Pain In The Heart".

It's a really great country song, She and Sher did a great job singing it....but sadly was never released nationwide as a single, I felt it would have easily been a Top 40 hit.

Have a listen, I think you'll like it.

 

Love Can Be a Pain In The Heart

Ralna English.....the Pre-Welk Years

Growing up in the Texas panhandle in towns like Spur, Haskell and Lubbock....Ralna said many a time that she began singing before she ever spoke.

Among her career highlights before becoming a Champagne Music Maker with the Maestro's gang include winning Lubbock's Battle Of The Band competition one year besting of all folks, Buddy Holly.

Singing at the Six Flags over Texas amusement park in the mid-1960s....

And singing at Santa Monica's The Horn along with a USO Tour....

But did you know back in 1961, she released a single titled "First Date"....it's a teenage pop ballad that is right up with the likes of a Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Frankie Avalon and Fabian.

Take a listen, you'll like it.....especially the guitar riff

Ralna English.....the Pre-Welk Years

Natalie Nevins with an inspirational album

Time to probe back into my record collection, and today I found this gem.

 

It's titled "Miss Natalie Nevins singing I Believe and other Great Inspirational Songs"

This Ranwood Records release from 1968 I guess highlights Natalie's pure singing voice accompanied by great backing vocals from her fellow Champagne Music Makers and fine band work by the orchestra such as Bob Ralston at the organ and Frank Scott at the harpischord.

It's an album filled with religious and inspirational songs...here are two cuts for your listening pleasure.
 

The first one is "It Is No Secret" 

And the next one is her version of "Climb Every Mountain"

Here's the complete listing of songs, found on ebay or an vinyl store near you! (If you search hard enough)

SIDE ONE

1. I BELIEVE (2:20)

2. YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE (2:35)

3. IT IS NO SECRET (2:40)

4. BLESS THIS HOUSE (2:40)

5. ANYONE CAN MOVE A MOUNTAIN (2:32)

6. I KNOW WHAT GOD IS (2:20)

SIDE TWO

1. CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN (2:32)

2. IF I CAN HELP SOMEBODY (2:38)

3. SUDDENLY THERE IS A VALLEY (2:16)

4. HE (2:25)

5. SOMEBODY BIGGER THAN YOU & I (2:35)

6. LOOK TO THE RAINBOW (2:42)

Natalie Nevins with an inspirational album

Galveston was never a pain in the brass

Galveston was one of the first Lawrence Welk albums I bought and to this day, it's still one of my favorites

 

It's got that big brassy sound provided by the Champagne Music Makers, especially from the horn section plus some great guitar and keyboard work as well.

Several of the songs covered are just a few of the many hit songs that Glen Campbell made famous.

 

Here are a few cuts from the album for your listening pleasure....

 

Galveston....the title track (Glen Campbell)

 

Honey....first made famous by Bobby Goldsboro

 

And finally....Gentle On My Mind (Rhinestone Cowboy Glen again)

Galveston was never a pain in the brass

Gonna head on back to that certain honey shack

...over in Southtown USA

 

From the Dot Record album, Lawrence Welk Early Hits of 1964....here's some listening enjoyment titled Southtown USA, another great example of the Welk Orchestra's great 1960s sound!

 

Gonna head on back to that certain honey shack

Love Is Blue

Here's the Champagne Music Makers performing those beautiful sounds that is the instrumental known as "Love Is Blue"

Love Is Blue

Grow Up Love

From her album "Let It Be Me", crank up your speakers and listen to Tanya as she sings "Grow Up Love"

Grow Up Love

Know Your Lennon Sister: Peggy Lennon Felt

As tommorow's big day dawns, we now wrap our five part series with a look at Peggy, complete with pictures and fun facts for all.

 

Originally wanted to serve the Catholic Church by aspiring to be a nun

 

Married to Welk orchestra trumpet player Dick Cathcart from 1964 until his death in 1993, since has remarried to Dr. Bob Felt of Northridge, California

 

When the Lennons visited New York City for the first time, Peggy astounded her sisters with her knowledge of the city by naming the names of all the bridges and islands of it's harbor.

Served as campus ministry coordinator for Crespi Carmelite High School of Encino, California in the late 1980s to early 1990s

 

I hope you enjoyed those fun and informative facts about America's Sweethearts of Song!

Now let's listen to the girls sing "Greensleeves" 

 

Know Your Lennon Sister: Peggy Lennon Felt

Know Your Lennon Sister: Mimi Lennon Macias

On this lovely Thursday, we take a look at Mimi....here are some cool fun facts about her.

 

First sang on the Lawrence Welk Show at the age of five

 

Has appeared on shows such as Family Feud, The Mac Davis Show and the American Music Awards

 

In grade school, she excelled in track and made the track team when she was in the fifth grade.

 

Married to Danny Macias, and is the mother of two daughters.

And let us all enjoy another great Lennon Sisters song, this one is titled "This Is My Song"

Know Your Lennon Sister: Mimi Lennon Macias