Myron Floren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Myron Floren
|
|
|---|---|
.JPG)
Floren in The Lawrence Welk Show in 1969
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | November 5, 1919 Roslyn, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | July 23, 2005 (aged 85) Rolling Hills Estates, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Accordionist, bandleader |
| Associated acts | Buckeye Four, The Lawrence Welk Show, Myron Floren Orchestra |
Myron Floren (November 5, 1919 – July 23, 2005) was a famous American musician. He was best known as the main accordion player on The Lawrence Welk Show. This popular TV show ran from 1950 to 1980. Lawrence Welk himself called Myron "the happy Norwegian."
Myron Floren was very important to Lawrence Welk. Welk was also a great accordion player. Myron was Welk's main helper and second-in-command. In his book, Accordion Man, Myron wrote about helping with travel plans for the band. He would arrange hotels and other things when they went on tour. Before he passed away, Myron also hosted some repeat episodes of The Lawrence Welk Show on PBS.
Contents
Early Life and Music
Myron Floren was born to Ole and Tillie Florence. His parents came from Norway. He grew up on a farm near Roslyn, South Dakota with his two brothers and four sisters. Before playing the accordion, Myron learned piano from his teacher, Dorothy Swenson.
He started playing the accordion when he was six years old. His father bought him a $10 accordion from a mail-order catalog. Myron taught himself how to play. He spent many hours each day practicing on his own. Soon, he was performing by himself at local fairs and events.
When he was a child, Myron had a health challenge called rheumatic fever. Playing the accordion actually helped make his heart stronger! In 1980, Myron shared that he had a heart valve replacement a few years earlier.
Myron worked his way through Augustana College. He worked at a radio station called KSOO as "The Melody Man." He also taught accordion lessons. When World War II started, he tried to join the Army. But he was not allowed to join because of his heart.
However, Myron still wanted to help his country. He joined the USO. He performed for soldiers in Europe with famous stars like Marlene Dietrich. After the war, he returned to South Dakota. He married Berdyne Koerner in 1945. They had five daughters and later seven grandchildren.
Joining Lawrence Welk
In 1950, Myron was playing with a group called "The Buckeye Four." He went to a dance in St. Louis, Missouri. The Lawrence Welk Orchestra was playing there. Lawrence Welk saw Myron, who was already a very skilled accordion player. Welk invited him to play a song with the band.
The song was "Lady of Spain." The audience loved it! Lawrence Welk immediately hired Myron to join his band. "Lady of Spain" became Myron Floren's special song. He played it many, many times on the Welk show.
Myron was a more skilled accordion player than Welk. But they worked very well together. Welk always let Myron show off his amazing talent. Sometimes, they even played accordion duets together.
For the next 32 years, Myron became one of the most popular members of the band. The band moved to California. They also played many concerts on the road. They started appearing on television. First, they were on local shows. Then, in 1955, they joined the ABC network. During The Lawrence Welk Show's time on TV, Myron was a featured solo performer. He was also an assistant conductor. He even helped with some of Welk's announcing duties.
Later Years and Legacy
In the mid-1970s, Myron Floren started his own orchestra. He was still working with Lawrence Welk at the time. His orchestra was based in Fargo, North Dakota. The Myron Floren Orchestra played when the Welk show was not filming. They became very popular in their region.
After The Lawrence Welk Show ended in the early 1980s, Myron kept performing. He would play as many as 200 days a year! He performed alone, with his orchestra, or with other members of the Welk Show cast. He even appeared in a music video for the band Kansas.
Myron headlined many yearly events. These included the German Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the Norsk Høstfest in Minot, North Dakota. He also played at the Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Florida. He performed at Wurstfest and his birthday celebration in New Braunfels, Texas. And he played at the PolkaFest in Branson, Missouri. Myron Floren passed away from cancer in California on July 23, 2005. He was 85 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Myron Floren received many honors for his music.
- In 1984, he was one of the first people inducted into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame.
- In 1990, he was inducted into the International Polka Music Hall of Fame.
- In 1992, the Confédération internationale des accordéonistes gave him their Merit Award. This was for his great contributions to accordion music around the world.
- In July 1996, the American Accordionists' Association honored Myron Floren for his achievements.
Selected Compositions
Myron Floren also wrote some of his own music, including:
- Skating Waltz in Swing
- Swingin' in Vienna
- Kavallo's Kapers
- Windy River
- Dakota Polka
- Long Long Ago in Swing
- Minute Waltz in Swing
- Accordion Man Polka
Other Sources
- Floren, Myron Accordion Man (Stephen Greene Pr; 1981)
