[TPIN] Re: Rocky Rockwell (Pam Munter)

[Robert DeSavage]

>
>    1.  Rocky Rockwell (Pam Munter)
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 11:15:35 -0700
> From: Pam Munter <pam at pammunter.com>
> Subject: [TPIN] Rocky Rockwell
> To: tpin at tpin.okcu.edu
> Message-ID: <0DA11D65-2B13-4B65-BA1A-E12A44ED202D at pammunter.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
>
> I think Rocky Rockwell was the first trumpet player I admired.  My
> parens watched the Welk show every week and I looked forward to
> seeing him.  Anybody have any biographical info on him?  Is he still
> with us?
>
> -Pam Munter
Maybe a year ago, Rocky was featured on (as?) a wraparound for one of the
Welk reruns shown on Public Television. While I don't know much about his
biography, he did serve in an Army Air Corps band during or around the WW2
years. He left Welk to be on his own where he had his own little show in
Vegas. As with a lot of his musicians, Rocky didn't see eye to eye with Welk
and parted company. I've read stories where Rocky liked a wee bit of tea and
that was the reason he and Welk parted company. According to the story (if
this story is untrue, then I offer Mr. Rockwell an apology for telling tales
out of school), after Rocky began to favor less potent beverages, Welk heard
about it and called him back. Rocky refused the gig telling Welk that HE was
the reason that he drank. I tried a Google on him, but to little avail. So I
don't know what he's doing or if he's alive. Despite his comedic function on
the Welk show, he was one heck of a good trumpet player who played well
anything tossed in front of him. But that's what any of Welks musicians were
capable of doing.
BOB