In the 1940s, jazz was heading in a different direction and big band was adding multiple female singers and becoming more melodic (just like Lawrence did). Starting in 1900, dances were very structured musically and were replaced in the 1920s, by the opposite: fast, freeform, frenzied jazz, and big band style (when Lawrence got on board). As discussed in previous issues, the style of music favored by the general public changes about every 25 years or every generation. Yes, the dramatic drop in sales of the main tool of polka, the accordion, was completely related to the change in direction of popular (pop) music. While all of these un-compliments are accurate from a “how much money can we make off this guy and his champagne music” point of view by the music industry executives there are always two sides to a story. In the 1960s, his style of music was declared un-hip, un-cool, un-fashionable, un-popular, and square by the media. Lawrence Welk has long been blamed for the disappearance of polka music in the United States. We shall now dispel the image of Welk as someone who caused the decline of the popularity of polka music. Last month we discussed about the importance of Texas to Lawrence Welk in his early years. Hunkered down in the suburbs of Fayetteville.
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