Okla-homey
6/1/2009, 06:29 AM
June 1, 1949: Lawrence Welk's band debuts
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9770/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
60 years ago today, on this day in 1949, Lawrence Welk's band begins a two-year stint as the house orchestra for radio show High Life Review. Though often lampooned for his saccharine style, Welk eventually developed an army of loyal fans and hosted one of the longest running musical variety shows in history.
Welk was born in 1903 in Strasburg, North Dakota, one of eight children born to immigrants from the Alsace-Lorraine region between France and Germany. He grew up speaking German and was always bashful about his accented English.
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/4908/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Welks birthplace
He dropped out of school in the fourth grade and pursued an interest in music, acquiring an accordion by mail order. When the fragile instrument broke, he struck a deal with his parents to borrow $400 for a new accordion; in return, he agreed to work on their farm until he turned 21.
He began playing at weddings and barn dances, and by his early 20s he was leading polka bands and making radio appearances.
By 1927, Welk had assembled his own band, called L.W.'s Hotsy Totsy Boys, which played regularly on a South Dakota radio show. In 1930, Welk married and began a career in business, managing such enterprises as a hotel, a restaurant, and a music store. He continued playing with his band and traveling during this time.
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9770/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A young Lawrence Welk when he was burning up the polka circuit
In 1939, Welk wrote the song that later became his theme, "Bubbles in the Wine." The song became a hit, as did about 20 other Lawrence Welk tunes, including "Don't Sweetheart Me" (1944) and "Shame on You" (1944).
In 1946, he began a series of successful engagements in California, and in 1951, he launched his own show on a local TV station in Los Angeles. The show caught on, and ABC picked it up in 1955 and began airing it on Saturday night.
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/1830/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Despite lukewarm reviews at first, the show quickly drew loyal viewers. Unlike other musical programs on TV, The Lawrence Welk Show did not feature celebrity guests, chitchat, or comedy skits-- just straightforward dance music.
Although often mocked as corny and sentimental, Welk's show gained a strong following and stayed on the air for 16 years. In fact, from 1956 to 1959, his Saturday night show was so popular that ABC gave him a second hour-long show, airing first on Monday nights, later on Tuesdays, called Lawrence Welk's Top Tunes and New Talent. In 1961, he topped the charts with "Calcutta."
When ABC finally cancelled The Lawrence Welk Show in 1971, Welk began producing it himself as a syndicated series. The show became one of the most popular syndicated series of its era and gained a larger audience than ever. He retired from performing in 1982 but remained active in business, with investments in recording and music publishing.
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/31/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwuntitled9rn.png (http://imageshack.us)
Lawrence Welk is buried in Culver City CA.
As a related aside, Oklahoma has a special connection to Lawrence Welk. Re-runs of "The Lawrence Welk Show" are produced by OUr own OETA for national distribution on 279 Public Television stations throughout North America...and blue-hairs everywhere thank OETA.:D
http://www.oeta.onenet.net/welk/
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/4102/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Stars of the show can still be seen performing live where else? Branson bay-bee!
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4909/insane7zo9vn.jpg
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9770/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
60 years ago today, on this day in 1949, Lawrence Welk's band begins a two-year stint as the house orchestra for radio show High Life Review. Though often lampooned for his saccharine style, Welk eventually developed an army of loyal fans and hosted one of the longest running musical variety shows in history.
Welk was born in 1903 in Strasburg, North Dakota, one of eight children born to immigrants from the Alsace-Lorraine region between France and Germany. He grew up speaking German and was always bashful about his accented English.
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/4908/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Welks birthplace
He dropped out of school in the fourth grade and pursued an interest in music, acquiring an accordion by mail order. When the fragile instrument broke, he struck a deal with his parents to borrow $400 for a new accordion; in return, he agreed to work on their farm until he turned 21.
He began playing at weddings and barn dances, and by his early 20s he was leading polka bands and making radio appearances.
By 1927, Welk had assembled his own band, called L.W.'s Hotsy Totsy Boys, which played regularly on a South Dakota radio show. In 1930, Welk married and began a career in business, managing such enterprises as a hotel, a restaurant, and a music store. He continued playing with his band and traveling during this time.
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9770/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A young Lawrence Welk when he was burning up the polka circuit
In 1939, Welk wrote the song that later became his theme, "Bubbles in the Wine." The song became a hit, as did about 20 other Lawrence Welk tunes, including "Don't Sweetheart Me" (1944) and "Shame on You" (1944).
In 1946, he began a series of successful engagements in California, and in 1951, he launched his own show on a local TV station in Los Angeles. The show caught on, and ABC picked it up in 1955 and began airing it on Saturday night.
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/1830/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Despite lukewarm reviews at first, the show quickly drew loyal viewers. Unlike other musical programs on TV, The Lawrence Welk Show did not feature celebrity guests, chitchat, or comedy skits-- just straightforward dance music.
Although often mocked as corny and sentimental, Welk's show gained a strong following and stayed on the air for 16 years. In fact, from 1956 to 1959, his Saturday night show was so popular that ABC gave him a second hour-long show, airing first on Monday nights, later on Tuesdays, called Lawrence Welk's Top Tunes and New Talent. In 1961, he topped the charts with "Calcutta."
When ABC finally cancelled The Lawrence Welk Show in 1971, Welk began producing it himself as a syndicated series. The show became one of the most popular syndicated series of its era and gained a larger audience than ever. He retired from performing in 1982 but remained active in business, with investments in recording and music publishing.
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/31/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwuntitled9rn.png (http://imageshack.us)
Lawrence Welk is buried in Culver City CA.
As a related aside, Oklahoma has a special connection to Lawrence Welk. Re-runs of "The Lawrence Welk Show" are produced by OUr own OETA for national distribution on 279 Public Television stations throughout North America...and blue-hairs everywhere thank OETA.:D
http://www.oeta.onenet.net/welk/
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/4102/wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Stars of the show can still be seen performing live where else? Branson bay-bee!
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4909/insane7zo9vn.jpg