Lawrence Welk : a-one and a-two - Revisited at a Concert

     Rick and I went to a concert last week; and it was very nostalgic for both of us, since we both grew up watching Lawrence Welk on Saturday night. We went to a Paul Anka concert, which took us back in time. When I first saw the stage, I knew we were in for a treat because of all the music stands. I am thinking a big band. The stands were just like Lawrence Welk had on his show, but instead of the LW on the front these had PA on them. When the band came out to start the concert, I then noticed not our typical band. The men all had suits and ties, and the women were in long black dresses.
      The start of the show started with a video on the big screen with old black and white clips from the Ed Sullivan shows, American Bandstand, and Johnny Carson shows introducing Paul Anka and giving a little history of the "kid". When he started singing his first hit, "Diana", we knew immediately that we were in for a treat. It was not a band, but an orchestra with a very big sound that was going to provide us with great entertainment.
     Throughout the two hours, he told stories of working with the Rat Pack and other stars. He had clips from the different shows he did and told stories of how and why he wrote many of the songs. One of my favorite stories was how Frank Sinatra was getting ready to retire. He called Paul to come to Vegas that he wanted him to write a song for him before he quit. Paul went home and wrote a song for Frank. He went back to Frank and said I got it for you. He started singing "My Way". This became Frank's signature song. Elvis used it, and this year President Trump used it at his inauguration.
    Another favorite of mine was the song he wrote for Kodak, "The Times of Your Life", with a video of his life and family. Several times during the night he directed the orchestra with a little wood stick just like Lawrence Weld used for his show.
     This was just a feel-good nostalgic concert that I felt a little guilty for enjoying in my blue jeans and loafers. Rick and I both left going, WOW! what an experience!