[Dixielandjazz] Lawrence Welk Plays Dixieland

[J. D. Bryce]

I got the record both in an EP version and the LP.  It was originally on
Coral. I got it about 1958 or 59.  I still have it.  Picture on the back of
the album shows a nearly bald Fountain..pre-toupee.  His solo on Pete's Tail
Fly (Jimmy Carck Corn) is marvelous.  They use two trumpets. Thow is one of
them.  Barnyard Blues is actually Livery Stable Blues.  The S'Wonderful cut
is good too. Excellent Fountain.

Fountain appeared on Welk's Monday night show "Top Tune and New Talent" and
was hired.  Later, Fountain brought Al Hirt onto the Top tunes show, but
Hirt wasn't hired.  Hirt was introduced as a friend of Pete's from New
Orleans.  Interestingly enough, on that show, when Hirt was soloing,
Fountain could be seen shaking his head negatively. I remember it well.

I read somewhere that when Welk called, Fountain was working a day gig for
Roto Rooter and was in danger of giving up music. His "Pete Fountain and the
Three Coins" group hadn't made it well enough for them to make a living at
music. Story goes that Fountain left the Dukes in 1955 and formed the Coins
group.

Timing is everything.

J. D. Bryce
One of Shiek Littlefield's minions.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Haesler" <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au>
To: "dixieland jazz mail list" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006 9:29 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Lawrence Welk Plays Dixieland


> Dear Friends,
> Here I am ASKING a discographal question for a change.
> I recently acquired the Australian Coral LP (CL-76090) 'Lawrence Welk
Plays
> Dixieland' (featuring some wonderful Pete Fountain) which was based on the
> popular dixie segment on Welk's television series. I believe that it was
> recorded in 1956.
> Great stuff and a real eye-opener to me.
> How come I missed this one years ago?
> Can anyone provide full details?
> Personnel, dates, location, etc.
> Our clarinet player, Jack Wiard, told me yesterday that ex-Jimmy Dorsey
> sideman George Thow is one of the two trumpet players on the LP.
> One of them  even sounds a bit like Wild Bill Davison in the last chorus
> breaks of "China Boy".
> I seem to recall that this record was mentioned some years ago on the
DJML,
> but could be wrong.
> Kind regards,
> Bill.
>
>
>
>
>
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