Wunnerful Wunnerful Lawrence Welk - North Dakota, California
My parents were big Lawrence Welk fans, so growing up in the era of one TV and three channels I saw the program a lot when I was a kid.
In my travels as an adult I've come across sights related to Lawrence Welk, from his birthplace on the Welk Homestead near Strasburg, North Dakota to his grave at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
The Photos (in order)
R03A0029 - Lawrence Welk was born on in this house on what was the Welk Homestead near Strasburg, North Dakota.
R03A0030 - This was the Welk Homestead barn. The sight is now a small museum dedicated to Mr. Welk. It also includes a small bandstand.
L13A0339 - The Lawrence Welk Show was produced at a number of different venues over the years, including a couple years at the Hollywood Palace Theatre, located on Vine Street, just north of Hollywood Boulevard. The theatre had been home to other shows over the years, including The Colgate Comedy Hour, This Is Your Life and The Hollywood Palace Variety Show. In 1952 then-Vice President candidate Richard Nixon delivered his Checkers speech from its stage (at the time, the theatre was named El Capitan, which is why some people mistakenly believe the Nixon event was held at El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Today the building is home to the Avalon night club and often hosts live bands. The Ramones gave their last concert here in 1996.
C98A0400 - In 1960 Lawrence Welk was awarded two stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. This one, for his television work, is located on Vine, just down the street from the Palace Theatre.
S11A0582 - Welk Resorts got it start in 1964 when Lawrence Welk was driving north of San Diego and found a motel and golf course in an appealing location near Escondido. After acquiring the property, he developed the first of what would become a handful of Welk Resorts. Welk Resort San Diego features this statue of America's Music Man.
S11A0586 - The resort also is home to the Lawrence Welk Theater, a venue for live performances.
S11A0587 - Inside the theatre is the small Lawrence Welk Museum, where visitors can get their photo taken with Mr. Welk on a reproduction of his show's set.
L13A1689 - Lawrence Welk is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Lawrence Welk presents North Dakota
From the Lawrence Welk Show.
MARIA ELENA (INSTRUMENTAL) - Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903 -- May 17, 1992) was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario. Welk was born in the German-speaking community of Strasburg, North Dakota. Welk was married for 61 years, until his death, to Fern Renner (August 26, 1903 - February 13, 2002), with whom he had three children. Known as an excellent businessman, Welk had investments in real estate and music publishing. Welk was the general partner in a commercial real estate development located at 100 Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica, California. The 21-story tall white tower is the tallest building in Santa Monica and is located on the bluffs overlooking Santa Monica Bay. It was informally named The Lawrence Welk Champagne Tower.
María Elena is a 1932 popular song written by Lorenzo Barcelata (Spanish words and music). It was published by Peer International Corporation of Mexico. The English words by Bob Russell. The song was dedicated to María Elena, the wife of Mexican President Emilio Portes Gil.
Lawrence Welk later introduced the tune in the United States on his radio program, then in 1941 on the Okeh Records label.
Hay Day - Musical Barns Of North Dakota
Hay Day: Musical Barns of North Dakota pays tuneful tribute to the barn, a rapidly disappearing icon of our Midwestern landscape and agricultural heritage. The documentary explores the architecture, history, preservation, restoration, and current uses of seven barns, accompanied by barn dance music from The Radio Stars, Rhythms of the Heart, Tigirlily, The Hay Shakers and more. Hay Day: Musical Barns of North Dakota features these barn owners who use their buildings in a variety of creative ways, much to the delight of friends and neighbors: Bruce Stein, Hankinson; Elroy Lindaas, Mayville; Evonne Piepkorn, Stanley; Harvey Huber, Hazen; George Ehlis, Dickinson; Scott and Ermaline Schlepp, Ashley; The Welk Homestead, Strasburg.
0h, Shenandoah - WCET-LW807
Oh, Shenandoah (Traditional American-Folk) Dick Dale
Season#18(807) Air-date: Saturday, February 14th, 1973...
titled:Down on The Farm-The Lawrence Welk Show.[MORE]
Dick Dale, after The Welk Show went into retirement in '82,
still continues to this day to perform with fellow Welk alumni.
From 1990 to 1996, he was co-owner of The Rainbow Theater
in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and also lived in Sparks, Nevada,
for a brief period. The Dales have recently moved back to his
Iowa hometown of Algona [1951-1982 with Lawrence Welk].
Lawrence Welk born March 11, 1903, Strasburg, North Dakota.
Died May 17, 1992. His show first aired locally in Los Angeles
on KTLA from 1951 to 1955. ABC picked it up nationally until
1971 then started an 11-year syndicated run & was picked-up by
PBS and other stations. Welk alumni still perform from Branson,
Vegas to Nashville...where-ever good music is THE STANDARD.
WCET-Tv CH48 (PBS) First licensed public television station
in the United States. It was granted its license in 1951 and
began broadcasting on July 26, 1954, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Celebrates its 60th Anniversary this year. As a proud
Cincinnati native, I, THANK YOU - WCET...many more.
...part of PLAYLIST ...(Special KEEPERS)
This song immortalized the jolly flat-boatmen who plied the
nation's rivers in the early 1800's, which many Irish-immigrants,
as my great-grandfather, did, and Samuel Clemens(Mark Twain).
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you,
Away you rolling river.
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you,
Away, we're bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.
Oh, Shenandoah, I'm bound to leave you,
Away you rolling river.
Oh, Shenandoah, I'll not deceive you,
Away, we're bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.
'Tis seven years, since last I've seen you,
Away you rolling river.
'Tis seven years, since last I've seen you,
Away, we're bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you,
Away you rolling river.
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you,
Away, we're bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.
Prairie Pulse 1507; Laetitia Mizero Hellerud; Lawrence Welk's Homestead
Matt Olien interviews author Laetitia Mizero Hellerud about her new book Being at Home in the World. The book is about Laetitia's journey from native Burundi to eventually Fargo. Also, a story about Lawrence Welk's homestead in Strasburg, North Dakota and the original barn that was there.
ND Former Governor's Mansion: Tribute to Bob Dolajak - Part 1
Robert “Bob” Dolajak Sr., 84, Mandan, passed away at home in the care of hospice on April 9, 2016, surrounded by his family. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 14, at Church of the Ascension, Bismarck, with Monsignor James Braaten as celebrant. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bismarck.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with a Knights of Columbus rosary at 7 p.m. followed by a parish vigil, at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the service on Thursday.
Bob was born in Dickinson on Sept. 10, 1931, to Frank and Frances (Frank) Dolajak. Growing up on a farm seven miles south of Dickinson, he attended the rural school, worked on the family farm and began playing accordion at an early age.
In June 1953, he married Paulina (Pachl) in California and they returned to the farm shortly after. In 1955, he left the farm for a job with Kirschmann Mfg. in Dickinson, and then in 1957 moved to Bismarck when Kirschmann moved its factory here. He worked for Kirschmann Mfg., which later became Melroe, until 1989 when he retired after 32 years.
He is remembered most for his music, starting in a band at age 17. Throughout his music career, he played with many bands, including the Royal Melody Orchestra in the early years and the Dakota Keys Accordion Club in the later years. In 1974, he formed his own band with his daughter, Julie, and over a 40-year span, they played and recorded their music, some years playing 90-100 jobs. They were well known for their style of Polka Mass which they began in 1996 and over the next 10 years played them throughout North Dakota, Montana and in the Mesa, Ariz., area — one year playing 36 Polka Masses. In 2005, he traveled to Kimberly, Canada to the International Accordion Festival and won first place in his age category and played with a group of 644 accordion players. He played at the Minot Hostfest, individually and with the Harvest States Accordion Club for about seven years. In 2012, he was inducted into the Dakota Musicians Association Hall of Fame in Aberdeen, S.D. He joined the American Federation of Musicians (now the Bismarck-Mandan Musicians Association) in 1959, served many years as president, secretary/treasurer and executive board member and at the time of his death was an honorary lifetime member. Bob was generous with his time in providing music for the assisted living and nursing home facilities in and around the Bismarck area.
Much of his time was given doing volunteer work for church and fraternal organizations. He was a member of Ascension Church for more than 30 years. He was honorary and lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus serving as Grand Knight six years and Faithful Navigator of the Fourth Degree Knights for three years. In 1993, Bob’s family was named KC Family of the Year for North Dakota. He was an honorary member of the Elks and served as organist for the Elks from 1987 to the time of his death. He was also a member of the Eagles and Moose fraternities.
Dad was especially proud of the family friendly home he built north of Mandan. His grandchildren will fondly remember weekends and holidays at “the lot” boating, fishing, sliding, swimming, three-wheeling, pool playing and of course eating at Grandpa’s. Many members of the Musicians Association and the KC Fourth Degree will remember the summer picnics he hosted for many years at his place north of Mandan.
Bob helped his son, Bob Jr., open Bob’s Photo and in the beginning served as president of the corporation. He was very proud of the store and how it had grown over the years.
Bob’s surviving family includes his children, Robert (Deborah) Dolajak Jr., Albert (Virginia) Dolajak and Julie (Leo) Ternes, all of Bismarck, and daughter-in-law, Brenda Dolajak, Mandan. His grandchildren include Jessie Dolajak, Lindsey (John) Heinrich, Lee (Kim) Dolajak, Lynne Dolajak, Lizabeth Dolajak and Eric Sellers, all of Bismarck, Lisa (Wade) Pulkrabek, Joshua (Samantha) Dolajak, Miranda (Richard) Klatt, Elijah Dolajak and Isaiah Dolajak, all of Mandan, Chris (Alli) Dolajak, Austin, Texas, Lori (Robert) Ball, Natural Bridge, N.Y., and Lance (Lisa) Dolajak, West Fargo; and 17 great-grandchildren. He also leaves a special friend, Martha Seibel, Lincoln. He is also survived by three sisters, Lorraine Huschka, Helena, Mont., Rosetta Davis, Boise, Idaho, and Elaine Heidecker, Dickinson.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Paulina; his son, Vernon; his grandson, Justin Sellers; one sister, Florence (Vic) Pantaleo; and one brother-in-law, Pius “Pete” Huschka.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to: Ascension Church, North Dakota Knights of Columbus Foundation or Elks Camp Grassick.
At Home In Russia, At Home On The Prairie
What causes a region--a place--to imprint itself upon the people who are born and live there? What is the connection between landscape and memory? What is forgotten and what is remembered? Prairie Public's newest documentary in the Germans From Russia series shows how a territory can endure in the minds of the descendants of those inhabitants after years, even after generations, have passed.