46 Facts About Lawrence Welk

Lawrence Welk was an American accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1951 to 1982.

Lawrence Welk's style came to be known as "champagne music" to his radio, television, and live-performance audiences.

Lawrence Welk was sixth of the eight children of Ludwig and Christiana Welk, Roman Catholic ethnic Germans who emigrated in 1892 from Odessa, Russian Empire.

Lawrence Welk was a first cousin, once removed, of former Montana governor Brian Schweitzer.

Lawrence Welk left school during fourth grade to work full-time on the family farm.

Lawrence Welk decided on a career in music and persuaded his father to buy a mail-order accordion for $400.

Lawrence Welk promised his father that he would work on the farm until he was 21, in repayment for the accordion.

Lawrence Welk did not learn to speak English until he was twenty-one and never felt comfortable speaking it in public.

On his 21st birthday, having fulfilled his promise to his father, Lawrence Welk left the family farm to pursue a career in music.

Lawrence Welk led big bands in North Dakota and eastern South Dakota, including the Hotsy Totsy Boys and the Honolulu Fruit Gum Orchestra.

Lawrence Welk's band was the station band for the popular radio programming WNAX in Yankton, South Dakota.

The Lawrence Welk Orchestra scored an immediate success and began a daily radio show, which lasted from 1927 to 1936.

Lawrence Welk's orchestra performed frequently at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City during the late 1940s.

In 1944 and 1945, Lawrence Welk led his orchestra in 10 "Soundies", three-minute movie musicals considered to be the early pioneers of music videos.

Lawrence Welk collaborated with Western artist Red Foley to record a version of Spade Cooley's "Shame on You" in 1945.

Lawrence Welk signed with Decca Records in 1941, then recorded for Mercury Records and Coral Records for short periods of time before moving to Dot Records in 1959.

In 1967, Lawrence Welk left Dot Records and joined its former executive Randy Wood in creating Ranwood Records.

Lawrence Welk bought back all his masters from Dot and Coral, and Ranwood became the outlet for all of Lawrence Welk's many artists.

Lawrence Welk's estate licensed the Ranwood catalogue to Concord Music Group for 10 years.

Whenever a Dixieland tune was scheduled, Lawrence Welk harked back to his days with the Hotsy Totsy Boys and enthusiastically led the band.

Befitting the target audience, the type of music on The Lawrence Welk Show was conservative, concentrating on popular music standards, show tunes, polkas, and novelty songs, delivered in a smooth, calm, good-humored easy-listening style and "family-oriented" manner.

Lawrence Welk was noted for spotlighting individual members of his band.

Lawrence Welk had a number of instrumental hits, including a cover of the song "Yellow Bird".

Lawrence Welk's highest charting record was "Calcutta", written by Heino Gaze, which achieved hit status in 1961.

Lawrence Welk himself was indifferent to the tune, but his musical director, George Cates, said that if Lawrence Welk did not wish to record the song, he would.

Lawrence Welk told the audience that he would not tolerate such "cheesecake" performances on his show; he later tried unsuccessfully to rehire the singer after fan mail indicated overwhelmingly that viewers opposed her dismissal.

Lawrence Welk then had a series of short-term "Champagne Ladies" before Norma Zimmer filled that spot on a permanent basis.

Lawrence Welk headlined two weekly prime-time shows on ABC for three years.

Lawrence Welk thanked ABC and the sponsors at the end of the last network show.

The Lawrence Welk Show continued on as a first-run syndicated program shown on 250 stations across the country until the final original show was produced in 1982, when Welk decided to retire.

Lawrence Welk starred in and produced a pair of Christmas specials in 1984 and 1985.

Lawrence Welk was a businessman and subsequent to his marriage in 1930, he was the manager of a hotel, restaurant, and music store.

Lawrence Welk was awarded four US design patents for a musically themed restaurant menu, an accordion-themed tray for serving food at a restaurant, and an accordion-themed ashtray.

Lawrence Welk was married for 61 years, until his death in 1992, to Fern Renner, with whom he had two daughters and a son.

Lawrence Welk was a noted member of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Lawrence Welk died of pneumonia on May 17,1992, at age 89, at his Santa Monica home, surrounded by his family.

Lawrence Welk was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

In 1961, Lawrence Welk was inducted as a charter member of the Rough Rider Award from his native North Dakota.

Lawrence Welk later served as the Grand Marshal for the Rose Bowl's Tournament of Roses parade in 1972.

Lawrence Welk received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 1980.

In 1994, Lawrence Welk was inducted into the International Polka Music Hall of Fame.

Lawrence Welk has a second star at 1601 Vine Street for television.

In 2007, Lawrence Welk became a charter member of the Gennett Records Walk of Fame in Richmond, Indiana.

Lawrence Welk's band continues to appear in a dedicated theater in Branson, Missouri.

The "Live Lawrence Welk Show" makes annual concert tours across the United States and Canada, featuring stars from the television series, including Ralna English, Mary Lou Metzger, Gail Farrell, and Anacani.

The comedy show Saturday Night Live had a recurring sketch during the late 2000s and early 2010s, in which Lawrence Welk was portrayed by Fred Armisen.