Lawrence Welk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lawrence Welk
|
|
|---|---|
Lawrence Welk and Norma Zimmer, 1961.
|
|
| Born | March 11, 1903 |
| Died | May 17, 1992 (aged 89) |
| Occupation | Musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario |
| Spouse(s) | Fern Veronica Renner (1931–1992) (his death) |
| Children | Shirley Welk, Donna Welk, Lawrence "Larry" Welk, Jr. |
Lawrence Welk (born March 11, 1903 – died May 17, 1992) was a famous American musician. He played the accordion and led his own band. He also hosted a popular TV show called The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982. His special music style was known as "champagne music." People loved how light and bubbly it sounded! He was even ranked among the greatest TV stars ever.
Contents
Lawrence Welk's Early Life
Lawrence Welk was born in Strasburg, North Dakota. His parents, Ludwig and Christiana Welk, were from a German-speaking area of Russia. They moved to America in 1892. In North Dakota, his family lived on a homestead, which is like a farm.
Lawrence decided he wanted to be a musician. He convinced his father to buy him an accordion. It cost $400, which was a lot of money back then! Lawrence promised to work on the farm until he was 21 to pay his father back. Any other money he earned from farm work or playing music also went to his family.
Starting a Music Career
On his 21st birthday, Lawrence Welk left the farm. He was ready to start his music career. In the 1920s, he played with other bands. Soon, he started his own orchestra.
He led big bands in North and South Dakota. Some of his early bands were called the Hotsy Totsy Boys and the Honolulu Fruit Gum Orchestra. His band also played on the radio station WNAX. In 1927, he finished his music studies at the MacPhail School of Music.
In the 1930s, Welk's band traveled a lot. They played dance music. At first, they were very poor. They often slept in their cars because they couldn't afford hotel rooms.
At a show in Pittsburgh, a dancer said his band's sound was "light and bubbly as champagne." That's how his famous "Champagne Music" style got its name! Welk said his music was "light and rhythmic." He focused on clear melodies and a steady beat for dancers.
His big band played all over the country. They were very popular in Chicago and Milwaukee. For 10 years, they played at the Trianon Ballroom in Chicago. They also played at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.
In 1945, Welk recorded a song called "Shame on You." It became a top hit! From 1949 to 1951, his band even had its own national radio program on ABC.
Lawrence Welk's Recordings
Lawrence Welk's band made many recordings. Some of their early records were for Gennett and Paramount companies. These old records are very rare today.
Later, he recorded for other labels like Vocalion, Decca, Mercury, and Coral. In the 1950s, he started recording with Dot.
In 1966, his orchestra recorded an album with jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges. They played famous jazz songs like "Misty."
The Lawrence Welk Show
In 1951, Lawrence Welk moved to Los Angeles. That same year, he started hosting The Lawrence Welk Show. It was filmed at the Aragon Ballroom in Venice Beach. The show quickly became a local favorite. In 1955, the ABC network started broadcasting it across the country.
The show was famous for its "bubble machine." When the band played a polka or waltz, Welk would dance. He often danced with the band's female singer, who was called the "Champagne Lady." Jayne Walton Rosen was his first Champagne Lady.
Welk would also play an accordion solo in each show. The show mostly featured classic popular music, polkas, and fun novelty songs. Welk sometimes even danced with people from the audience!
Lawrence Welk had amazing musicians in his band. Some of them were accordionist Myron Floren and clarinetist Pete Fountain. He paid his band members very well. Because of this, many musicians stayed with him for a long time. For example, Myron Floren was the band's assistant conductor for the entire run of the show.
The show didn't just play old music. In the 1960s and 1970s, they played songs by popular artists like The Beatles. They played these songs in a style that his older viewers would enjoy. The show started in black and white. It changed to color in the fall of 1965.
The Lawrence Welk Show aired on ABC on Saturday nights. ABC canceled the show in 1971. But it was so popular that it continued on 250 other TV stations. It kept airing until 1982!
Lawrence Welk's Personal Life
Lawrence Welk was married to Fern Renner for 61 years. They stayed together until he passed away. They had three children.
Welk was also a very smart businessman. He invested in real estate and music companies. He was a partner in a big real estate development.
He even had four US design patents for things like a music-themed restaurant menu. He also patented accordion-shaped trays for serving food.
Welk was a Roman Catholic. He attended church every day.
Later Years and Legacy
After he retired in 1982, Welk's shows continued to air as reruns. He also appeared in two Christmas TV specials in 1984 and 1985.
Lawrence Welk passed away in Santa Monica, California, in 1992. He was 89 years old. He was buried in Culver City's Holy Cross Cemetery.
Popular Songs (Singles)
Lawrence Welk and his orchestra had many popular songs. Here are some of them:
- "Moritat (A Theme from 'The Three Penny Opera')" (1956)
- "The Poor People of Paris" (1956)
- "Tonight You Belong to Me" featuring The Lennon Sisters (1956)
- "Last Date" (1960)
- "Calcutta" (1961) - This song reached #1!
- "Theme From My Three Sons" (1961)
- "Baby Elephant Walk" (1962)
- "Apples and Bananas" (1965)
- "The Beat Goes On" (1967)
Awards and Honors
Lawrence Welk received many honors for his contributions to music and television:
- In 1994, he was added to the International Polka Music Hall Of Fame.
- He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One is for his recordings, and the other is for his television work.
- In 2007, he became a founding member of the Gennett Records Walk of Fame.
Books by Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk also wrote several books, often with Bernice McGeehan:
- Wunnerful, Wunnerful: The Autobiography of Lawrence Welk (1971)
- Ah-One, Ah-Two! Life with My Musical Family (1974)
- My America, Your America (1976)
- Lawrence Welk's Musical Family Album (1977)
- Lawrence Welk's Bunny Rabbit Concert (1977) - This was a children's book!
- This I Believe (1979)
- You're Never Too Young (1981)
Images for kids
-
Welk at the groundbreaking of the new Union Bank in Santa Monica, California, 1960
