Lawrence Welk Show

[tonewoods]

I'm kind of surprised hipsters haven't exploited the Lawrence Welk show in an ironic sort of way.

They do all the time without realizing it...
This, from Wiki:

"All Chamberlin recordings were contracted and performed by members of the Lawrence Welk Orchestra in the late '40s and throughout the 1950s.

Welk was impressed with the idea of a tape playback instrument and offered to fund its manufacture if it was called a "Welk" machine.
Chamberlin refused Welk's offer."

I love my Chamberlin, and love hearing the breathing and other idiosyncrasies of each keyed sample, and knowing that it was played by a member of that orchestra...

[Rolsen]

While on vacation a couple years ago, the wife and I were nursing hangovers in our hotel room fixated on a Lawrence Welk-athon. I was geeking out on these two guys in the band sitting side by side, one with a Fender Bass VI and the other with a Jazzmaster - both guitars a matching baby blue color. They were shredding, in a polka-pop sorta way. Though corny, in an adorable sort of way, the musicians and singers were top notch. As a kid, I always ranked LW up there with watching 60 minutes as the lamest thing to be subjected to, though now I watch 60 minutes and I can see why my grandparents dug LW. Different tastes for different generations. I would recoil further watching some mid-90's episode of MTV's Real World.

[howdini]

If for nothing else, the astonishing Buddy Merrill (I love when LW whispers in his ear to look at the camera and smile):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkS7x5lZCCQ

[hank alrich]

My parents used to watch it regularly. While I knew little, specifically, of the level of musicianship involved, I found it weirdly fascinating. Much later I realized it was the musicianship that made it so, even if at the time the Lennon Sisters' sweaters were also intriguing.

[The Real MC]

I watched Lawrence Welk with my grandparents

I watched Hee Haw with my parents

I couldn't decide which was cornier

When I heard a real orchestra in person that was when I realized that LW was too "Hollywood".

As I progressed in life, I realized that almost nothing of TV reflected true life so I finally stopped watching broadcast TV in 2000.

[vvv]

I watched Lawrence Welk with my grandparents

I watched Hee Haw with my parents

I couldn't decide which was cornier

Somewhere in there was The Jackie Gleason Show, The Dean Martin Show, Sonny & Cher, The Johnny Cash Show, The Glen Campbell Show, and let's not forgot alla Tiny Tim specials!

[joelpatterson]

Somewhere in the mists of my high school career in Southern California...

We were invited to a taping of a Smothers Brothers show. Florence Henderson (who?) was the guest. I remember certain things... I remember she generally had a bitter scowl, but when the action started she pumped up this gleeful grin for the cameras. Some skit featured giant cardboard props of oil wells, and at some point the steeple parts of the wells dropped down to reveal portraits of Henry Kissinger and Nelson Rockefeller (who?) I'm thinking now maybe this was not the actual taping, but a rehearsal, because when the announcer with the oversized voice called out, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Smothers Brothers!" and we just sat there waiting expectantly, he said, "Let's try that again." We had forgotten to cheer madly.

Beforehand, they had played a gorgeous ballad, over the PA, kind of real loud, brand new I got the impression, that Tommy and Dicky had obviously done. Those guys were no slouches as musicians!