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Neely-Dorsey: Lawrence Welk and Mississippi
The final episode of “The Lawrence Welk Show” aired February 25, 1982. Do you know the Mississippi connection?
Recently, I posted on my Facebook page: “Hubby is always trying to get me mad or make me say crazy stuff by turning the television to something he thinks will irritate me. It seems to be very amusing to him! How MANY times do I have to tell him that he cannot phase me by trying to hold the tv hostage on Lawrence Welk. I was raised on Lawrence Welk!
Lawrence Welk was MANDATORY viewing if you were at my Granddaddy’s house on a Saturday night. We couldn’t make a move or even breathe too hard while the “tap-dancing ‘colored’ man” was on! I actually even wrote a poem about my Granddaddy that included this.”
DID YOU KNOW…
There was a singer from Tupelo, Mississippi on the Lawrence Welk Show
Guy Lee Hovis, Jr. (born September 24, 1941), along with his former wife, Ralna English of West Texas, was one of the featured acts of “The Lawrence Welk Show.”
Born and reared in Tupelo, Mississippi, he was the son of an officer from the Mississippi Highway Patrol. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Mississippi. After a two-year stint in the Army, Hovis decided to try a career as a musical performer in Hollywood.
On his days off, Hovis still continues to perform, at the Lawrence Welk Resort in Branson, Missouri, for pledge specials on PBS, or with Ralna at state fairs, concert halls and casinos.
Commenting on my Lawrence Welk post, one of my dear Facebook friends wrote : “Patricia, thank you for stirring up this old memory machine…How we looked forward to that too. Our (Saturday) nights were filled with smell of yeast from cinnamon rolls rising…and then baking, Lawrence Welk, and the biggy was wrestling at 10:00pm…beautiful thing to think about.”
All together, now…”A One and A Two!” (Cue the bubble machine)
Patricia Neely-Dorsey is the author of two books of poetry, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life In Poems and My Magnolia Memories and Musings-In Poems. Through her poems, the author hopes to protect, preserve and promote the rich cultural history and heritage of her state and region along with providing more positive images than all of the negative images usually portrayed. Patricia lives in Tupelo with her husband James, son Henry and Miniature Schnauzer, Happy. The author has been named a Goodwill Ambassador for the state by Governor Phil Bryant. Her slogan is “Always, Always Celebrating the South and Promoting a Positive Mississippi ” Her website is patricianeelydorsey.com and her email is magnoliagirl21@yahoo.com.
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William Harpole
February 25, 2016 at 5:50 pm
My church, here in Maben, Mississippi, bought a Baby Grand Piano from Allegrazi’s in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and one of the employees who brought the piano to us was Tiny, who was part of Lawrence Welk;s group
Judy Shaw
February 26, 2016 at 12:48 pm
There is quite a following of the Lawrence Welk Show still today. Online, check out WelkNotes.com and on FB search WelkNotes
And Guy & Ralna just performed in two locations in January of this year and will be performing in Van Wert, OH in September. Additionally, Guy sang at Governor Phil Bryant’s Inauguration (first term and second term). Guy has a web site:
Guyhovismusic.com
Gay Parker
February 26, 2016 at 2:17 pm
Arthur Duncan the tap dancer is still dancing.
Noticed your last name Dorsey by any chance are you related to Gosple singer Willa Dorsey who guested on The Lawrence Welk Show years ago.
Patricia Neely-Dorsey
February 26, 2016 at 5:39 pm
Thanks for the comments everyone !
No, Gay , not related to Willa Dorsey
Mary Morrison
February 27, 2016 at 11:37 am
I watched “The Lawrence Welk Show” just about every week from around 1970 until the weekly shows ended. Boy, was I mad if anyone interrupted me!! Praise God for PBS bringing it back!!
Judy Rogers
March 6, 2016 at 2:09 pm
When my grandmother watched Lawrence Welk many years ago I thought she was “square”. Well, I guess I’m “square” now because I LOVE the Lawrence Welk Show and all the singers, dancers and musicians. But Guy and Ralna are my FAVORITES and I’m looking so forward to seeing them both in Van Wert, Ohio in September. I sure wish I had tuned in sooner though, because I missed so many performances by all of them.