re Lawrence Welk:

This stuff probably won't be on a web site. He had a German accent, played the accordion, and ran his program like a small time talent show. Imagine the most conservative grandmother possible; then imagine her favourite Saturday night TV music program. A quartet of teen girl singers, a fat piano player (Professor 'Big' Tiny Little) to play the pop tunes of her youth, that sort of thing. The best part was a basso profundo who ocassionally got to do solos -marvelous and rare. This man made money hand over fist. For about 4 years he owned the Beatles catalog (worth millions). I read once that he made over a million for his annual New Year's Eve Program. PM me if you aren't fed up yet.