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

You got served....

.....some of your favorite snacks on these trays of course!

During the 1950s, one of the earliest Lawrence Welk merchandise that was marketed were these serving trays. Today, they are a popular collectors item that can be found on the likes of ebay.

Here's one featuring the Maestro with the Lennon Sisters....

....and this one with Champagne Lady Alice Lon and Lawrence

Personally, these trays look to good to be eating food off of them!

You got served....

Oh Please....Just Give Me Five Minutes More

This is a really cute musical number from 1967, here's the Musical Family singing "Give Me Five Minutes More".

Watch for Jo Ann Castle at the end of the song, you won't be disappointed!

Oh Please....Just Give Me Five Minutes More

Thinking fast on your feet

You're moving along in your musical number, and then those darn allergies in the studio causes you to sneeze....
 

Thinking fast on your feet

Musical Family Kids - Julie Hovis

On today's edition of Musical Family Kids, we will put the spotlight on Guy & Ralna's daughter Julie Hovis.

Viewers were first introduced to Julie back on the Welk show's New Years Eve program in 1977 by proud parents Guy Hovis and Ralna English.

Here's a few of the pictures shown by our Happily Married Singing Couple on that program....

Later, she would appear on camera with her parents on many of the annual Christmas shows.

Today, Julie is all grown up, a proud graduate of Arizona State University, where she teaches elementary school in the Phoenix school system.

Recently, Julie became a newlywed as she got married. Along with that, her career, education and many other accomplishments, her parents are without a doubt very proud of her.

You can see her wedding pictures online, over on Ralna's webpage it's broken down in five parts.

Also, there's some great pictures of the happy event on Welknotes!

Musical Family Kids - Julie Hovis

Tanya Falan Hairstyle of the Week - Walkin' The Floor Over You

Here's Tanya with this week's hairstyle singing a little Ernest Tubb....

....and she's joined by her pals Mickey McMahan

Peanuts Hucko

and Bob Havens!

Tanya Falan Hairstyle of the Week - Walkin' The Floor Over You

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"

A Musical Appreciation for Mickey McMahan

We've Got the (Tiger) Beat

Last year, I posted on this blog fake covers of Lawrence Welk and his Music Makers on Dynamite Magazine as examples of how they can attract the young viewers.

You can view my creations here and here.

Yesterday, my fertile mind was at work again, and thanks to the efforts of Photoshop, I made fake covers of the Musical Family if they appeared on Tiger Beat Magazine, the popular publication of pop idols aimed to the teen market.

I think you'll like the results....

We've Got the (Tiger) Beat

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

From 1967, here's Lynn Anderson with Buddy and Neil as she does her cover version of Nancy Sinatra's hit song "These Boots Were Made For Walkin'"

 

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

Road Trip!

Crank up the Molly Hatchett and let's roll!

 

Road Trip!

The blogmaster's fantasy Welk episode: Salute to the British Music Hall

Basically, it's a show featuring a variety of entertainment that includes singing and specialty acts like magic tricks, animal and puppet acts.

I know what you're thinking, yes we do call it vaudeville in the USA.

But across the Atlantic in jolly ol' England, there's something different and special about this particular form of entertainment.

From the mid-19th century to World War II, the Music Hall was a very popular form of entertainment in the United Kingdom that featured a variety of singing stars such as Harry Champion, Stan Laurel (before Laurel & Hardy), Charles Coburn, Gracie Fields and Marie Lloyd.

 
Some of the more popular venues, many dating back to the Victorian era include The Canterbury, Leeds City Varieties and the London Palladium. Many of the songs used in these venues range from novelty to sentimental to patriotic war tunes.

Modern day television programs such as The Muppet Show and BBC's The Good Old Days capture the spirit of the Music Hall.

After some research, I though what it would be like if the Maestro's Musical Family took a crack at these songs, dressed in Victorian England outfits with the set looking like Leeds City?

I think that particular episode would go something like this....

SALUTE TO THE BRITISH MUSIC HALL - airdate perhaps in 1968

1. SING AS WE GO - Dick, Steve, Larry, Charlie, Joe, Jimmy, Bobby, Andra, Sandi, Sally, Jo Ann, Natalie, Tanya, Cissy
2. I'M HENERY THE EIGHTH I AM - Dick Dale
3. KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING - Dee Dee, Peggy, Kathy and Janet Lennon
4. GOODBYE, DOLLY GREY - the orchestra with Myron Floren at the accordion
5. THE BOY I LOVE IS UP IN THE GALLERY - Tanya Falan
6. BURLINGTON BERTIE FROM BOW - Larry Hooper
7. IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY - Joe Feeney and Natalie Nevins
8. OH! MISTER PORTER - Andra Willis
9. LETS ALL GO DOWN TO THE STRAND - Jo Ann Castle at the honky tonk piano with vocals by Charlie Parlato, Kenny Trimble, Bob Lido and Jack Imel
10. DADDY WOULDN'T BUY ME A BOW WOW - Peggy Lennon

 
11. WAITING AT THE CHURCH - the orchestra, danced by Bobby Burgess and Cissy King
12. GORGONZOLA CHEESE - sung by Buddy Merrill and at guitar with Neil Levang
13. I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE - Bob Ralston at the Thomas organ
14. BOILED BEEF AND CARROTS - sung and danced by Bobby Burgess, Arthur Duncan and Jack Imel
15. WE DON'T TO LOSE YOU (BUT WE THINK YOU OUGHT TO GO) - Jimmy Roberts
16. I'VE GOT A BIT OF A BLIGHTY ONE - Charlie Parlato with Jo Ann Castle, Janet and Kathy Lennon
17. HANDS, KNEES AND BOOMPS-A-DAISY - Sandi Griffiths and Sally Flynn with Janet and Kathy Lennon
18. UP THE APPLES AND PEARS - Bob Lido with the Lennon Sisters
19. I'VE GOT THE TIME, I'VE GOT THE PLACE (BUT IT'S HARD TO FIND THE GIRL) - Steve Smith
20. DOWN AT THE OLD BULL AND BUSH - Dick, Jimmy, Charlie, Bob (Lido), Bob (Ralston), Steve, Bobby, Larry, Joe, Myron, Jack, Andra, Tanya, Jo Ann, Sandi, Sally, Cissy, Natalie, Dee Dee, Peggy, Kathy and Janet

The blogmaster's fantasy Welk episode: Salute to the British Music Hall

Swanee

Here's Jo Ann Castle back on the ol' upright honky tonk playing some of that Swanee for all you out there in a musical mood!

As Lawrence would say at the end of the number, "She sure gets a lot of music out of that ol' upright"

I'll second that notion.

Swanee

Tanya Falan Hairstyle of the Week - Sentimental Journey

Gonna set her mind (and hair) at ease.....

....longing to hear that all aboard!

Tanya Falan Hairstyle of the Week - Sentimental Journey

We now join The African Queen already in progress.....

Actually, that's Norma and Jimmy taking advantage of the April weather by going on a nice boat ride down the river.

 

We now join The African Queen already in progress.....

Come join in the Easter Parade

Happy Easter everybody!

Just make sure you don't get a tummy ache from all those chocolate eggs!

Come join in the Easter Parade

Abbott the Rabbit - The E! True Hollywood Story

For the next few minutes, we'll tell the story of how a furry little bunny found instant success....

....and later hit rock bottom as a victim of Hollywood excess

This is the story of Abbott The Rabbit

Abbott the Rabbit - The E! True Hollywood Story

I have that haiku feeling

Yeah I know that there's the Welk Haiku tumblr page of mine.

But it's such a beautiful day in my neck of the woods, I just feel like sharing my poetic side!

After all, today is Good Friday.

THE LOOKS IN THEIR EYES
SPEAK MORE THAN A THOUSAND WORDS
WANNA HAVE SOME FUN?

I have that haiku feeling

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.....

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?

Tanya Falan Hairstyle of the Week - That's Amore!

When the days are long and so is your hair.....that is amore

Tanya Falan Hairstyle of the Week - That's Amore!