http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:17:44 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/27/052741.php#comment-735496 And thanks for your comment, Lyle. 735496@blogcritics.org Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:17:44 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/27/052741.php#comment-735493 Oh my gosh. The hours that I spent as a child (I am 51 now) watching Lawrence Welk and all the amazing musicians. My grandparents taught ballroom, my dad was a band manager in Korea and my mom had a stirring baptist church alto voice...i was hooked with no choice. I sing in a big symphonic choir in Durham NC (The Choral Society of Durham). It delights me to watch the shows when they come on PBS. I cannot think of anyone more on the show that stands out the most for me but Norma Zimmer and Joe Feeney that make me the most nostalgic. Now I still love that show but love rap, hardcore, bluegrass, classical. showtunes and anything done musically with heart and respect....thank god for Lawrence Welk. 735493@blogcritics.org Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:00:04 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/27/052741.php#comment-520249 The Johnny Hodges collaboration was only one of many WUNNERFUL albums that Lawrence Welk produced over the decades! Many of the orchestral albums he released through the 60's and 70's are a musical anthology of all the top hits of the day....his version of THE BEAT GOES ON rocks! He not only hired the best musicians but great arrangers! The sad thing is too many of his older albums are not available on CD. I do have the Johnny Hodges release on lp but I'm going to have to order it on CD before that is no longer available! Thanks for the great article! 520249@blogcritics.org Sun, 28 Jan 2007 14:30:36 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/27/052741.php#comment-520234 Good info, Marley. Thanks for your comment. 520234@blogcritics.org Sun, 28 Jan 2007 13:47:09 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/27/052741.php#comment-520229 Add me to the list who find Lawrence Welk totally cool. I grew up with him, too, though I admit my parents weren't big fans. My dad liked Joann Castle. He'd watch her and then do something else. I started watching the Welk Show on PBS a few years ago, first for nostaglia and fun and later for pure appreciation of the music, which is much better than I remembered (though there's certainly an amount of absurdity with the show, too). I'm not sure what turned me. Probably Henry Questa. The orchestra had fine fine musicians and in the earlier years rocked much more than the later. Welk was a good gig and gave them time to pursue their interests, and brought in a paycheck, too. I've fallen in love with Joe Feeney (who is the cousin of a deceased friend) and Myron just rocks. I read an obit of him which called him the Jimi Hendrix of the accordian. And that he was! Lawrence Welk is cool. He was the ultimate showman and knew what his audience liked and wanted. 520229@blogcritics.org Sun, 28 Jan 2007 13:28:51 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/27/052741.php#comment-519949 Yes, indeed, The Lennon Sisters were quite the lookers. 519949@blogcritics.org Sat, 27 Jan 2007 20:08:50 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/27/052741.php#comment-519853 The Lennon Sisters were hot. 519853@blogcritics.org Sat, 27 Jan 2007 14:52:33 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/27/052741.php#comment-519837 I know exactly what you mean, Vern. When I was a kid I thought I always tried to avoid the TV show...and yet I remember a lot about it. Maybe I didn't avoid it as much as I thought. 519837@blogcritics.org Sat, 27 Jan 2007 14:18:26 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/27/052741.php#comment-519832 Thank you fary much... and now Bobby and Sissy will dance to the accordion sounds of Myron Florin and the clarinet of Henry LaQuesta while the lovely Anacani sings "Guantanamera!" Ah one, ah two, ah three..... I can't believe I can remember all that..... 519832@blogcritics.org Sat, 27 Jan 2007 14:12:54 EST