The Lawrence Welk Show lives on in reruns and memories of “Champagne Music,” polka dances, bubble machines and the sweet sounds of the Lennon Sisters.
Times have surely changed since that Christmas Eve night back in 1955 when four little girls named Kathy, Janet, Dianne (DeeDee) and Peggy Lennon made their debut on the Welk Show.
Six decades have passed since then but Thursday evening – Kathy, Janet and Mimi Lennon were back on stage for two shows in the Savannah Center. DeeDee and Peggy retired long ago and Mimi took their place. Regardless, the Lennons still produce sweet harmony, flashy choreography and a warm, nostalgic glow.
The show began with a video screen displaying highlights of the Lennon Sisters’ life and career. The clips included the Lennons with Welk, Andy Williams, Dinah Shore, Jimmy Durante, Sammy Davis Jr. and the Osmonds.
Then the video ended; the stage lights went up and out walked Kathy, Janet and Mimi singing “A Song For You” followed by “There’s A Place for Us” from “West Side Story.”
“We’re glad to be back in The Villages again,” Kathy said. “And the reason we’re back is because of you.”
This night seemed more like a family reunion that just a concert. The grown up kids in the audience were a lot like the Lennon Sisters, only they were on the other side of the TV screen watching the little Lennon girls turn into women.
And the Lennons fit right in with Welk’s wholesome family program and music. They were on the show for 13 years.
“They oozed sweetness,” said Bonnie Cain of The Villages. “They were as pretty and clean-cut as you could be. My parents made me watch the Lawrence Welk Show and the best part for me was hearing the Lennon Sisters sing.”
Villager Jim Elfering also remembers his parents making him watch the Welk Show. “I had to watch it,” he said. “My folks had one television set in the house. We all sat and watched the show together. That’s how I grew up with the Lennon Sisters.”
Some kids thought the Lennons were squares but it turns out the girls dig rock and roll.
“We loved rock and roll,” Janet said. “Especially the girl groups, like the Ronettes and the Chiffons. We would bring songs to Mr. Welk to see if he would let us sing them on the show.
“He would listen to us sing them. ‘That’s nice,’ he would say, ‘but not for our audience.’”
On this night, the Lennons decided to rock out. It started with a cover of “Tell Him” an old early ‘60s’ hit by the Exciters. Then the trio turned to a Dusty Springfield classic, “Wishin’ and Hopin’.” In addition to singing the song the Lennons made like the Supremes with some on stage choreography and hand movements.
You can see a clip of the Lennon Sisters performing on the Villages-News.com Facebook page at the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagesNews
After the song ended, Janet looked up into the sky and said, “Hope you liked it, Mr. Welk.”
The Lennons had a couple of pop hits during their career, including “Tonight You Belong To Me,” in the 1950s and “Sad Movies,” in the early ‘60s. They also recorded many albums with strong sales.
The Lennons paid tribute to Andy Williams with a cover of his early hit, “Can’t Get Used to Losing You.” They also displayed that famed family harmony on “Love Story.”
Rosemary Clooney was another singer who influenced the Lennons. They brought back memories of shimmering 1950s’ pop with a version of Clooney’s “Hey There.”
Then, they turned to the movie, “White Christmas,” with a rollicking version of “Sisters,” which Clooney sang with Vera-Ellen in the film.
But this night wasn’t so much about music as it was about family and nostalgia. The Lennon Sisters have a knack of comforting their fans. Their lives and career has been a shared experience for countless millions who watched them grow up on television.
There’s something reassuring in knowing they grew up and grew older but can still sing and entertain. These days, the Lennon Sisters talk about their grandchildren and their fans love it because they’re all part of the same extended television family.
