T-Shirt from Lawrence Welk

tx:1970:005:pr

T-Shirt Distributed by Lawrence Welk to his Band Members. Cotton with photo applique, perhaps laytex. Ca. 1960–1970. caption: “wunnerful wunnerful”.

Owned by Jim Cunningham, Los Angeles, later Arroyo Grande, California.

Historic Background

Lawrence Welk (American bandleader, 1903–1992). Welk’s earliest interest in music was evident when as a young man he bought his first accordian and played in bands in the Dakota region (the Hotsy Totsy Boys and the Honululu Fruit Gum Orchestra). Later, his brand of “Champagne Music” consisting of “sweet” dance tunes was featured in hotel ballrooms in Chicago and New York, in movies and radio, and later in “The Lawrence Welk Show” a televised broadcast first from ktla from Los Angeles and over the abc, national network starting in 1955. Welk’s conservative taste in music, evidenced by his choice of polkas and “novelty” tunes for his Repertoire through the age of rock and roll also affected his audience, which by the early 1970s was comprised largely of hexagenarian, septagenarian and even more mature listeners. Well-known commercial laxative, and dental prosthetic adhesive companies his chief sponsors.