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. 

Lawrence Welk's Big Band Splash

The Big Band Splash Weekend has arrived!

This is the first Saturday and Sunday that public television stations across this great land will air the newest Lawrence Welk pledge special Big Band Splash.

Just be sure to check your local television listings for airdates...

I know that both WGTE and WBGU here in my neck of the woods will be showing it!

The Big Band Splash Weekend has arrived!

Sway away with Anacani

From the 1982 episode "All Time Favorites", here's the lovely Anacani singing "Sway"

 

Sway away with Anacani

Salute to the Swing Bands

Goodman, Kyser and Miller....

They all make things right here on Jukebox Saturday Night.

 

I'm of course referring to Benny Goodman, Kay Kyser and Glen Miller all whom are giants of the Swing Bands (and let us not forget Lawrence Welk!)

And that's the title of this week's show from February 24, 1979.

This week's host is Bobby Burgess, me thinks it will be a different Music Maker hosting each week.

Highlights from the show include.....

 

Johnny Zell blowing into his trumpet

Barbara and Bobby reunited and feeling good dancing together again....

 

And the Maestro leading the band, not knowing he does not have his trusty baton.

 

SALUTE TO THE SWING BANDS - February 24, 1979

1. STRING OF PEARLS - the orchestra
2. SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY - Guy Hovis & Ralna English
3. BOOGIE WOOGIE - danced by Barbara Boylan and Bobby Burgess
4. SOPHISTICATED LADY - saxohone section featuring Dick Dale, Russ Klein, Dave Edwards, Bob Davis and Henry Cuesta
5. AMAPOLA - Anacani with Bob Lido on marocas and Jack Imel on marimba
6. CUTE - danced by Arthur Duncan
7. SO RARE - Ken Delo
8. THE WOODCHOPPER'S BALL - orchestra featuring Henry Cuesta and his clarinet, Bob Havens on trombone, Russ Klein on saxophone and Bob Smale on piano
9. YOU BELONG TO ME - Kathie Sullivan with Bob Smale on piano
10. CHERRY PINK AND APPLE BLOSSOM WHITE - Johnny Zell on trumpet 
11. AND THE ANGELS SING - Sheila (Aldridge), Sherry (Aldridge), Anacani, Ralna, Sandi (Griffiths), Gail (Farrell), Roger (Otwell), David (Otwell), Jimmy (Roberts), Curt (Ramsey), Ken and Guy
12. I'LL NEVER SMILE AGAIN - Tom Netherton
13. JUKEBOX SATURDAY NIGHT - danced by Mary Lou Metzger and Jack Imel
14. FRENESI - Henry Cuesta on clarinet
15. BYE BYE LOVE - The Aldridge Sisters and the Otwell Twins
16. TUXEDO JUNCTION - Ava Barber
17. FOR YOU - Joe Feeney with Bob Ralston on organ
18. AMERICAN PATROL - orchestra
19. IN THE MOOD - orchestra with dancing by Bobby & Barbara, Mary Lou & Jack, Ken and Gail, Arthur & Anacani

 

That's this week's show in a nutshell.....Keep a song in your heart and your Bobby Socks hiked up and free of holes!

Salute to the Swing Bands

The St. Louis Blues

We're due for some Champagne YouTube action, so as Memorial Day draws to a close....here's the orchestra with W.C Handy's St. Louis Blues featuring Mahlon Clark on clarinet!

The St. Louis Blues

Green Eyes

From 1972, here's Guy & Ralna doing that big band thing by singing "Green Eyes" direct from the magical happy place called YouTube!

Green Eyes

Tribute to the Big Bands

This week, Lawrence Welk and his Champagne Music Makers go black & white and pay salute to the big names of the Big Band era. Originally aired back on October 8, 1960....this episode is a great way to introduce the youngsters to those big band sounds!

First, here's Larry Hooper as Kay Kyser giving his musical lesson of the day to Ish Kabibble (actually it's Rocky Rockwell).

Next up is Jack Imel, as Ted Lewis, singing "When My Baby Smiles At Me".

Here's Buddy Hayes doing his impression of Cab Calloway as he sings Cab's famous hit "Minnie The Moocher".

And here's the boys in the band playing "The Woodchoppers Ball" to wrap up the show this week!

Other fine numbers include Peggy Lennon with "Oh Johnny", Larry Dean with "Got A Date With An Angel", and many more salute to big band giants such as Paul Whiteman, Spike Jones, Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Freddie Martin as well.

This was a great show, makes you feel like dancing!

Also, Rocky Rockwell was interviewed by Mary Lou this week, he talked about his first trumpet and playing in his first band, how he joined the Welk orchestra and a few great stories while on the road with the Music Makers.

See you all next week....and keep a song in your heart!

Tribute to the Big Bands

Swing and Sweet Bands

This week's show is a Salute to the Swing and Sweet Bands that aired originally in 1980, here are few of the highlights.

The cast with the opening number, "And The Angels Sing".

Ava Barber, with some nice backing by Neil Levang on guitar and Bob Lido on rhythm, singing "Heartaches."

Tom Netherton, with Bob Ralston at piano, singing "You're Nobody Until Somebody Loves You."

Anacani in the solo spot with "Amapola."

And finally, the battle of the drummers, Paul Humphrey vs. Jack Imel with the St. Louis Blues March.

Next week, we'll get the "Springtime" show from 1977....see you guys until then!

Swing and Sweet Bands

Salute to the Big Bands 1980

This week's episode marks the first of four straight new shows, also the last four new shows of the season, for all of us Welk fans courtesy of your public television station.

Tonight, we got Salute To The Big Bands which first aired nationwide on December 13, 1980....here's the Maestro introducing the first number sung by the music makers, "And The Angels Sing."

It's a nostaglic trip down big band memory lane, featuring spectaular numbers by the Aldridge Sisters and Otwell Twins with "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree" made famous by another sibling act, the Andrews Sisters. Guy Hovis also had a solo number in this week's show titled "I Should Care" which he did a great job with.

Ava Barber, with help from the orchestra, sang "Heartaches" and Tom Netherton accompanied by Bob Ralston at piano sang "You're Nobody Til' Somebody Loves You" and below here's Arthur Duncan with a few of his friends dancing to "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing"....do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah.....sorry I just couldn't resist adding that.

You can tell that Arthur and his gang are having some fun tonight!

There were a "String Of Pearls" played by the orchestra, Myron Floren playing a little "Sunrise Serenade" with help at the organ by Bob R, and Ken Delo singing "Gotta Have A Date With An Angel." There was the St. Louis Blues march done splendidly by drummers Paul Humphrey and Jack Imel and of course the show would not be complete with the trio of Gail, Ron & Michael singing "In The Mood".

And that my friends, with a few excellent songs more, make for a great trip down big band memory lane!

And now there's Mary Lou's interview with our favorite country gal Ava Barber....she talks about how she began singing first in her crib as a baby and how she and husband Roger Sullivan first met while in high school and getting on the Lawrence Welk Show for the first time.

Ava discussed her hit records, "Waitin' At The End Of Your Run" and "Bucket To The South" with the latter charting at #13 on the US Billboard Charts and #12 in Canada, plus how she became friends and phone pals with a TV legend, one we all know as Matlock!

Of course I am talking about Andy Griffith who is also a fine gospel singer too.

It was a fine hour's worth of entertainment...you can visit Ava Barber in cyberspace by visiting her newly designed official webpage.

Next week's show is a classic B&W show complete with Mary Lou's interview with Big Tiny Little....my review will be a few days late cause on Saturday, I'll be in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to see Guy & Ralna, Anacani, Jo Ann Castle and Arthur Duncan live in concert and in addition to next week's writeup....I'll provide pics and details from the show on Welk Musical Family.com!

Stay safe, stay cool and keep a song in your heart!

Salute to the Big Bands 1980

Salute To The Big Bands 1980

Yesterday, I got to see "Salute To The Big Bands" from 1980 and here's my two cents worth....a pretty fine and well-done show.

The maestro kicked things off with "Chattanooga Choo Choo" featuring the band and the singers as shown in the picture above....plus there were fine musical performances by the music makers such as Johnny Zell, Skeets Herfurt and not one but TWO clarinet solos by Henry Cuesta, and like I always said....the boys in the band (other than Lawrence) were the real stars of the show, they give the Champagne Music that extra pop.

There were also some good numbers by Guy & Ralna with "Green Eyes", Ava Barber teaming up with Myron Floren for the polka induced "Just Because", and the Aldridge Sisters and Otwell Twins with the Frank Sinatra standard, "I'll Never Smile Again".

And then there's Mary Lou's interview with Elaine Balden...also known as Bobby Burgess' dance partner number three, that makes it three dancing partners in the last four weeks (Barbara Boylan - Southtown USA and Cissy King - Irving Berlin tribute)....and like the other interviews...this one was lively, pleasant and fun. Elaine talked mostly about how she teamed up with Bobby plus her family life...married to Welk show cameraman Jim Balden and her two daughters Alana and Skyla.

Next week is a repeat....1968's Salute To The Armed Forces, but it is also one of my favorite 1960s episodes!

Salute To The Big Bands 1980