Gail Farrell and Lawrence Welk (Permission Welk Musical Family)Â
Photo #2. The Lawrence Welk Holiday Special: Great Moments and Memories featuring great moments and memories spanning 30 years of Christmas holiday shows. (Permission Welk Musical Family)
Tune-in to The Lawrence Welk Show at 7 p.m. Saturday evenings on OETA and most weeks you will catch a performance by southeastern Oklahoma and Durant native Gail Farrell.
Farrell was born in Salinas, California, but spent her childhood and teenage years in Durant. Her father was a cattle rancher and her mother was a plumber, so she took the most obvious route â music. She began to perform publicly at age six at rodeos and talent shows, in church, on pickup beds in the back of trucks stumping for local political candidates. She also learned how to sing gospel music from her grandmother. While attending the University of Tulsa, majoring in piano performance, she took part in the Miss Oklahoma Pageant and won in talent and
[ playing polka music ] mr. welk always wanted me to play a polka. [ playing swing music ] [ cheers and applause ] whoa! one more time? one more time? look out! look out! one, two, one, two. [ cheers and applause ] the welk show on the abc network for 16 years was unexpectedly cancelled in the spring of 1971. but lawrence welk didn t miss a beat. in part 3, he goes on to bigger and better things with his musical family. here s robert allen executive producer of this largest ever reunion to tell you how important it is for you to call this station right now. thank you. wow, what energy. jack imel and henry quecuesta playing sing sing sing. would you like to see this in your home over and over? go to your telephone and dial the toll free number on the screen and ask for lawrence welk milestones and memories video and we d love to send this to you as our way of saying thank you. this home video has 25 additional minutes of performances not seen in this broadcast. ladies a