Myron Floren - Years With Lawrence Welk

Years With Lawrence Welk

In 1950, Floren, who was performing with the music group known as the Buckeye Four, went to a dance at the Casa Loma Ballroom in St. Louis, Missouri, where the Lawrence Welk Orchestra was playing. When the maestro recognized the accordion virtuoso in the audience, he invited him to play a number with his band. The number turned out to be Lady of Spain, and from the overwhelming positive response from the audience, Lawrence hired Myron to be a permanent member of his band. Lady of Spain also became Floren's trademark song and he played it countless times on the Welk show.

Although Floren's musical technique made him a much better accordion player than Welk, the two men developed a close working relationship, and Welk never hesitated to allow Floren to display his virtuosity; occasionally the two would even play duets.

Over the next 32 years, Floren became one of the most popular members of the band and the organization itself. It began with the band's migration to California, along with concert dates on the road, and exposure to television, first on local broadcasts from the Aragon Ballroom in Santa Monica, California and later on the ABC network in 1955. During the time The Lawrence Welk Show was on television, Floren was a featured solo performer and an assistant conductor. He also took over some of the maestro's announcing duties.