[TPIN] Lawrence Welk/power of the music

[Glenn Bengry]

Guys,
 
    Felt compelled to say this to y'all.  Just caught about 10 minutes of Public Television talking about the phenomenon of Lawrence Welk.  A couple things came up.  
 
    You know, we lament how "the music" is dying or isn't being appreciated any more and such, but the Lawrence Welk show survived for years and years with great viewership and these folks reported that these PBS LW shows have been some of the most viewed in PBS history.  That speaks volumes.
 
      But that is nothing compared to the little anecdote at the end of the show.  There was an old fella in advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease who spent most of his time sitting staring off  into space.  I can't recall if it was the man's wife or whom in the room with him but when the music of the Welk show came on, the vegetable state gentleman lifeted his head, lifted his arms to the woman all of a sudden and said,  "LET'S DANCE"
   What more can one say??
 
     Lastly, the lead trombone player in that band for years was the grandfather of one of the fine players on this list.  I'll let him decide if he wants to tell the rest of the family history and the importance of that band.
 
     That music ain't dead and the people who hear it can seemingly come to life.   Gives us all pause to think of the power of the music we strive to make on these hunks of metal.  One more reason to go practice.
 
glenn
 
x
 
x