Accordionist and bandleader Lawrence Welk – born in Strasburg, North Carolina on
March 11, 1903 – was best known for hosting his own weekly television show for
three decades and bringing family-friendly easy listening music into households
across the US. Referred to as ‘champagne music,’ Lawrence Welk’s brand of music
was sorely out of step with young audiences but proved to be an important and
calming source for their older family members. The son of German immigrants, he
grew up in the German-speaking community of Strasburg – which explains his
accent – he convinced his father ...