Who is more Milwaukee than Lawrence Welk? With his accordion and orchestra, played polkas plus light and bubbly “champagne music,” which laid claim to the bubble machine. He played many dance dates in Milwaukee, including George Devine’s Million Dollar Ballroom. It was there, as a youngster, my parents took me to see him, and they bought me an accordion. That didn’t last long, as I preferred to play baseball instead of playing the squeeze box. Welk recorded some of his records in Grafton, Wisconsin. Today those recordings are rare and valuable. Welk started out in radio and later his very popular “Lawrence Welk Show.” He mentions the threat of being canceled, but that never happened, and reruns are seen today on local TV. He had several hits including “Calcutta,” which was a number one record in 1961. Welk was inducted into the International Polka Hall of Fame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He even appeared on Saturday Night Live. You might remember when Stan Freberg impersonated him in a recording called “Wunnerful Wunnerful.” Welk was not happy with Freberg’s mimic but ended up using it for the title of his book.

I’m sure that the older podcasters in the audience watched the very popular TV series “Dallas” in the 1980s. Morgan Brittany played Katherine Wentworth, the scheming half-sister of Pam Ewing and Cliff Barnes. In the 1987 season finale she drove a car that stuck Bobby Ewing, resulting in both of their deaths. Morgan worked with many super stars during her career. She will talk about that, also her husband’s very dangerous job in films and some personal information the ladies will love.

Barbara Mandrell at one time, was considered one of the most successful country singers and all-around entertainers, with six number one singles and 25 top ten singles on the Billboard Country charts. Barbara also had her own primetime TV show and appeared in “Touched by an Angel,” “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” and “Baywatch.” Her hit records included: “Sleeping Single in a Double Bed” and “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.” Barbara is very talented, playing several instruments. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009. Mandrell has been only one of a few women to win the CMA Entertainer of the Year award twice, alongside Taylor Swift. In 1979 she crossed over into the Top 40 pop charts with “If Loving You is Wrong, I Don’t Want to be Right.”