Lawrence Welk was an American accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1951 to 1982. His style came to be known as "champagne music" to his radio, television, and live-performance audiences.
The Lawrence Welk Show is an American televised musical variety show hosted by big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally in Los Angeles for four years, from 1951 to 1955, then nationally for another 16 years on ABC from 1955 to 1971, followed by 11 years in first-run syndication from 1971 to 1982. Repeat episodes are broadcast in the United States by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) stations. These airings incorporate an original program—usually, a color broadcast from 1965 to 1982—in its entirety. In place of the commercials, newer performance and interview clips from the original stars and/or a family member of the performers are included; these clips are occasionally updated.
Myron Floren was an American musician best known as the accordionist on The Lawrence Welk Show between 1950 and 1980. Floren came to prominence primarily from his regular appearances on the weekly television series in which Lawrence Welk dubbed him as "the happy Norwegian," which was also attributed to Peter Friello.
Jo Ann Castle is an American honky-tonk pianist, best remembered for appearing on The Lawrence Welk Show. She adopted her stage name from the name of an accordion manufacturer, another instrument she played proficiently. She was often referred to as "Queen of the Honky-Tonk Piano" by Lawrence Welk himself.
Ralna Eve English is an American-born singer from Haskell, Texas. She gained fame as half of the husband-and-wife singing duo of Guy & Ralna with then-husband Guy Hovis, both of whom were featured performers on The Lawrence Welk Show.
Jimmy Roberts was an American tenor singer. He was a featured performer on the TV variety program The Lawrence Welk Show during its entire broadcast run from 1955 to 1982.
Alice Lon Wyche, known as Alice Lon, was an American singer and dancer on The Lawrence Welk Show during its early years on network television.
Roberta Jymme Schourup, better known as Roberta Shore, is a retired American actress and performer. She is notable for her roles in the original Shaggy Dog film and as Betsy Garth on the Western television series The Virginian. A devout Mormon, Shore broke her contract to focus on her marriage and family, retiring at the age of 22. She lives in Utah.
"Anacani" María Consuelo Castillo-López y Cantor-Montoya is a Mexican singer best known as a featured performer on The Lawrence Welk Show television program.
Norma Zimmer was an American vocalist, best remembered for her 22-year tenure as Lawrence Welk's "Champagne Lady" on The Lawrence Welk Show.
Lawrence "Bullfrog" Hooper was an American musician and vocalist. He was best known to television audiences as part of The Lawrence Welk Show as a featured singer and pianist in Welk's orchestra.
Kathie Sullivan is an American-born singer who appeared on television's The Lawrence Welk Show from 1976 to 1982.
George Cates was an American music arranger, conductor, songwriter and record executive known for his work with Lawrence Welk and his orchestra.
Ronald David Anderson is an American singer who appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show for the last two years of its run as a member of the singing trio of Gail, Ron and Michael.
Jerry Burke was a musician who played the organ and piano for the Lawrence Welk orchestra from 1934 to 1965.
The Dinning Sisters were an American sisters singing group, active from the late 1930s to 1955. They made a handful of film appearances and had several hit records at the height of their popularity in the late 1940s.
Florence Kirk was an American dramatic soprano who had an active international performance career in operas and concerts from 1937 to 1954. Born in Philadelphia and trained at the Curtis Institute of Music by Elisabeth Schumann, she was particularly associated with the roles of Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni and the title heroine in Verdi's Aida. Her repertoire included other Verdi heroines like Leonora and Lady Macbeth, Santuzza from Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana, Minnie in Puccini's La fanciulla del West and the title role in Tosca, and several roles from Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle.
Joan Marie O'Brien is an American actress and singer. She made a name for herself acting in television shows in the 1950s and 1960s and as a film co-star with Cary Grant, Elvis Presley, John Wayne, and Jerry Lewis.
Roberta Linn is an American singer and entertainer. She is most associated with the Rat Pack and the Las Vegas Strip, where she was a regular performer with Freddie Bell and the Bellboys in the 1950s and 1960s. From 1949 to 1954, she sang with the Lawrence Welk group, "The Champagne Ladies".
Helen Ramsay was an American singer and entertainer. She is best known for being in the Lawrence Welk group "The Champagne Ladies" from 1947 to 1949, before being replaced by Roberta Linn.
