Joy To The World

As in David Joy....

Here's David in a Dixieland Jazz jam session with Bob Havens and Russ Klein!

Joy To The World

Salute to Johnny Mercer

It's one of those episodes that some of you guys maybe able to see, and some of you would not thanks to those irritating pledge drives that have been happening lately.

So here's some of the highlights from the show!

Whenever there's a full moon, people in 1970s clothes start singing....

There's also a surprise pop quiz first thing tomorrow....

....oh and the Semonski Sisters make their presence felt.

SONGS BY JOHNNY MERCER - January 31, 1976

1. MOON RIVER - Ken, Mary Lou, Anacani, Tom, Gail, Jimmy, Bobby & Cissy (also dancing)
2. GOODY GOODY - the orchestra featuring Bob Havens on trombone and Henry Cuesta on clarinet
3. DEARLY BELOVED - Norma Zimmer
4. TANGERINE - Guy Hovis & Ralna English
5. AUTUMN LEAVES - Anacani with Bob Ralston at the piano

  
6. ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE - Sandi Griffiths, Gail Farrell and Mary Lou Metzger with Ken Delo
7. FOOLS RUSH IN - Tom Netherton with Ralna, Guy, Norma, Dick, Gail, Ken and Mary Lou
8. CHARADE - danced by Bobby Burgess and Cissy King
9. YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY - Larry Hooper and Jimmy Roberts

10. PARDON MY SOUTHERN ACCENT - Ava Barber
11. THE SWEETHEART TREE - Joe Feeney with Bob Ralston at the Thomas Organ
12. SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE - danced by Arthur Duncan
13. I'M AN OLD COWHAND - Ken Delo

14. JEEPERS CREEPERS - Dianne, Donna, Jo Anne, Audrey, Valerie and Michelle Semonski
15. LAURA - the orchestra
16. RACHMANINOFF'S PRELUDE IN C MINOR - guest star Sylvia Lin at the piano
17. DREAM - Tanya Falan with Charlie Parlato, Gail Farrell, Dick Dale, Curt Ramsey with Russ Klein at saxophone
18. AND THE ANGELS SING - Jimmy, Mary Lou, Bobby, Cissy, Tom, Anacani, Ken, Ralna, Guy and the orchestra's brass section

If you missed the show, you missed some great Johnny Mercer musical numbers plus a terrific guest appearance by Sylvia Lin who plays one mean piano.

So until next time, keep a song in your heart and accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and do not even mess with Mister-In-Between!

 

Salute to Johnny Mercer

Famous Guest Stars - Alvino Rey

Here's the icon of swing music and father of the pedal steel guitar on a 1959 episode of the Lawrence Welk Show!

Famous Guest Stars - Alvino Rey

And yes ladies, he's still single

What better way to start 1977 on a high note!

From the New Year's episode, here's Tom Netherton with the '77 Rose Bowl Queen Diane Ramaker

So much for not promising you a Rose Garden....

And yes ladies, he's still single

There are some kinds of Rhythm that's none of our business.....

.....however, this is not one of them.

This week's episode, "Rhythm is our Business" has got it and then some. And by that, I mean it has a very special guest star.

Here's country music star and two time CMA Entertainer of the Year Barbara Mandrell!

Just to be clear, her sisters Irlene and Louise don't appear this episode....the same goes for Truck Shackley and the Texas Critters

But this week's show still has plenty of highlights! Such as....

Mary Lou and Jack making a ruckus at the library

Neil Levang fiddling around....

.....which Guy & Ralna find themselves square dancing.

RHYTHM IS OUR BUSINESS - February 2, 1980

1. CRAZY RHYTHM - Jimmy, Ralna, Guy, Ava, Curt (Ramsey), Sheila, Roger, Mary Lou, David, Sherry, Jim, Joe, Gail (Farrell), Ken, Kathie
2. THE SWEET AND GENTLE CHA CHA - Anacani
3. GETTING TO KNOW YOU - the orchestra
4. I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU - guest star Barbara Mandrell
5. PASO DOBLE - danced by Bobby Burgess and Elaine Balden

6. THE SWEETEST SOUNDS - Kathie Sullivan
7. CUMANA - Bob Ralston at the piano with orchestra
8. JAMAICA FAREWELL - Jim Turner (with guitar) with Paul Humphrey and Jack Imel on drums
9. THE ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL - Guy Hovis & Ralna English with fiddlers Neil Levang, Bob Lido, Joe Livoti and Harry Hyams
10. THE VILLAGE INN POLKA - Myron Floren at accordion with Bobby & Elaine dancing

11. MEDLEY OF SONGS BY LEROY ANDERSON (including Blue Tango) - the orchestra with George Cates conducting
12. TAKE ME HOME COUNTRY ROADS - Barbara Mandrell with Neil Levang at guitar
13. MEDLEY INCLUDING BALLIN' THE JACK AND THE OLD SOFT SHOE - Mary Lou Metzger and Jack Imel joined by Kathie Sullivan
14. WABASH CANNONBALL - Ava Barber
15. DEAR HEART - Jimmy Roberts with Bob Ralston at the organ and Ernie Erhardt at the cello

16. THE TWIST - The Aldridge Sisters (Sherry & Sheila) and Otwell Twins (David & Roger) with Russ Klein on saxophone
17. WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS - Ken Delo with Bob Havens on trombone
18. RHYTHM IS HIS BUSINESS - tap dancing by Arthur Duncan and sung by Gail, Ralna, Kathie, Anacani, Sherry and Sheila
19. BOOGIE WOOGIE - the orchestra

This was a great episode, and giving that it's a rhythm show....having the caliber of talent and fame of a Barbara Mandrell was a perfect fit.

Did you know that she could play both the lap steel and pedal steel guitars, as well as the accordion, saxophone and banjo? If the chance was ever presented, she could have been ideal as a regular member of the Musical Family....either with the vocalists or as a member of the orchestra, or even both!

Until next time, since many PBS stations like mine will be in pledge drive mode, keep a song in your heart and always proclaim your allegiance to country music, even when it's not cool.

There are some kinds of Rhythm that's none of our business.....

Famous Guest Stars - Marshall Royal

Marshall was best known as the lead alto saxophone player for Count Basie's band. He also played clarinet and served as music director too.

He also worked for other bands such as Bill Berry, Frank Capp and Duke Ellington. Marshall's work can be found on such albums such as Gordon Jenkins Presents (1960), Snooky and Marshall's Album (1978) with Snooky Young and Royal Blue (1980).

Marshall appeared on the Salute to Irving Berlin episode from December 2, 1978; he played sax for the following numbers "I Can't Get Started" and "I'm Beginning to See the Light".

Famous Guest Stars - Marshall Royal

Famous Guest Stars - Jack Benny

Always 39 years old, Mr. Benny appeared on the April 3, 1971 Academy Awards episode.

A legend in comedy, he appeared both on radio, television, the movies and played one mean violin!

Famous Guest Stars - Jack Benny

Famous Guest Stars - Henry Mancini

This native Clevelander had written and composed many great songs....

....like Days Of Wine and Roses, The Pink Panther and Sweetheart Tree just to name a few.

 

 

 

Famous Guest Stars - Henry Mancini

Almost Heaven with Barbara Mandrell

Here's another vintage YouTube find! From 1980, here's special guest star Barbara Mandrell teaming up with Neil Levang for "Take Me Home Country Roads".

Sorry.....Louise, Irlene nor Truck Shackley don't appear in this clip....

Almost Heaven with Barbara Mandrell

A Southern Show

This Thanksgiving week.....we got a repeat, it's a "Southern Show" from February 1967 and here are some highlights...

Bobby Burgess, Arthur Duncan and Jack Imel along with the gang in the train depot singing "Are You From Dixie?"

Here's the Maestro with his special guest star.....the juice queen Anita Bryant, in happier times of course.

Singing and dancing about "Big D" here's Barbara Boylan and Bobby Burgess wearing one of Rose Weiss' originals.....from her Wild Wild Wild West collection

And now it's down to the French Quarter at Bob Lido's nightclub where Larry Hooper and the rest of the Dixieland fellas are ready to swing it....New Orleans style!

And that wraps up the week. I do declare that we get a new one next time 'round so take care until then!

A Southern Show

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

Springtime

You know it's springtime when the flowers are in bloom, the sun is shining and the birds are singing....but also when PBS airs this Welk gem from April 23, 1977 titled "Springtime".

Here are our girls to get things started by doing the show's introductions!

The first number includes the ladies with "April Showers" all dressed nice with their raincoats. Other great numbers in this program include fine solo numbers by Tom Netherton with "April Love", Joe Feeney with "Sweetheart Tree", Ava Barber with "You Are My Sunshine" made famous by Louisiana's "Singing Governor" Jimmie Davis and of course Bobby & Cissy's dance routine to "Love Will Keep Us Together."

Nice outfits eh? They never looked so....citrusy.

The band, as usual, was on top of their game with a few instrumentals....such as "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" with a nice clarinet solo by Henry Cuesta. Kathie Sullivan was brilliant with her solo, "Spring Is Here" and there's Guy & Ralna singing one of their songs from their "Love Songs" album with the always popular "Listen To My Smile."

How the heck can you listen to a smile? Can any of Ralna's teeth pick up radio signals like Gilligan from a particular episode of "Gilligan's Island?"

Just curious of course....now let's "spring" ahead for more show.

The show was jammed packed with solos, even one by the mysterious Jamie Corey with "I Got Rhythm". There was also Jimmy Roberts with his rendition of "Springtime In The Rockies" and Ken Delo telling everyone that you should always "Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella."

Then Gail, Sandi and Mary Lou gave us a walking tour of the studios with "Walking In The Sunshine"....followed by the fellas dressed in Dodger Blue playing some baseball and singing "Spring, Spring, Spring."

Lawrence also had a special guest star, famed pianist Roger Williams playing "Autumn Leaves" and "The Impossible Dream" all decked out in vintage 1970s duds...all in all, a great Springtime show!

Mary Lou's guest this week is Kathie Sullivan, who talked about growing up in Wisconsin...and joining the Welk show thanks to being Madison's "Champagne Lady" while the show was in town for a concert. She even talked about recent events, working at a retirement home in Dallas, TX....where she lives....and is in charge of entertainment....and she also drives the bus as well!

Next week...it's the America At Play episode, but I will be in New Haven next week visiting my sister who's attending grad school at Yale, so in the meantime, keep a "spring" in your step and keep a song in your heart!

Springtime