Myron Floren, accordion player on 'The Lawrence Welk Show,' dies

AP ^ | July 23, 2005 | Associated Press

[2dogjoe]

ROLLING HILLS ESTATES, Calif. He used his accordion to help entertain (m) millions on "The Lawrence Welk Show." Myron Floren died today. He was 85.

According to a syndication manager for the show, Floren died of cancer at his home near Los Angeles.

Floren was a consummate musician versed in everything from polka to Bach. He joined Lawrence Welk's band in 1950 and stayed on until the television show ended in 1982.

The orchestra was famous for bouncing, effervescent dance music.

More recently, Floren performed at music festivals around the country.

[Dog Gone]

My most vivid memories of him are from black and white television. RIP Myron.

[lightman]

I believe that he served on a Liberty ship in the Pacific in WWII.

[sushiman]

My Mom used to watch LW semi-religously ...Thought it was sort of corny , but loved music so watched it anyway ...Everybody sure looked like they were having a good time !

[SIDENET]

I'm just old enough to remember that they had some kind of bubble-blowing machines on the set of the show.

[zarf]

RIP Myron. I remember you on the Black and White.

[Dog Gone]

My grandmother ADORED the LW show, and I sat through many of them when she visited.

A oneie and a twoiee...

[tet68]

Oh, sad news.
Used to listen to him on the radio.

[NormsRevenge]

ThannK You Myron...


Wunnerful Wunnerful!

[sushiman]

[cubreporter]

Me too and my parents loved the show. Rest in Peace Myron.

[Revolting cat!]

I luvvd his version of Honky Tonk Women!
Ah won, ah too, ah tree! Gimme, gimme,gimme, your honky tonk blues...

[hispanarepublicana]

Let's all do a round of "In Heaven There Is No Beer" for New Braunfels, Texas, native, Myron Floren: (Myron, we hope there IS beer in Heaven)


In heaven there is no beer (no beer!)
That's why we drink it here
And when we are gone from here
Our friends will be drinking all the beer

In heaven there is no wine (no wine!)
So we drink till we feel fine
And when we leave this all behind
Our friends will be drinking all the wine

In heaven there is no fear (no fear?)
So we worry too much here
And we drink ourselves full of beer
To help us when we deal with the fear

In heaven there is no sex (oh, no!)
So let's do that next
And when our muscles no longer flex
Someone else will be having sex


Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier,
Drum trinken wir es hier.
Denn sind wir nicht mehr hier,
Dann trinken die andern unser Bier.

Sicher muß der Wein vom Rhein
Etwas Wunderbares sein.
Sicher ist ein feiner Sekt etwas,
Was besonders schmeckt.
Sicher ist der Schnaps so scharf,
Daß man einen heben darf.
Aber heut' seid's gescheit, liebe Leut'.
Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier . . . .

Jeder Mensch hat seinen Tick
Und seine Eigenart.
Eine fliegt auf glatt rasiert,
Die and're auf den Bart.
Einer möcht' nur Fußballspiel,
Dem andern ist das Wurst.
Ich allein gesteh' es ein,
Ich hab' immer einen Durst.
Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier . . . .

[PGalt]

Condolences to his family and friends. A true professional who entertained and brought happiness to many.

[sushiman]

Never in my wildest imagination would I ever have envisoned that 40 years later I'd be posting a picture of a LW show member via a computer to the world ...Isn't technology wunnerful ?

[Charles Henrickson]

[DeFault User]

.Everybody sure looked like they were having a good time !

Yep. And most, like Myron, were excellent musicians. The problem was the rink-dinky, ticky-tacky, bubble blowing arrangements.

[Charles Henrickson]

Myron Floren was born in Roslyn, South Dakota, the eldest of seven children. When Myron was seven years old, he talked his father into ordering a ten dollar accordion from Sears and Roebuck, and as a result of that investment, would later become one of the top virtuosos in the world. He credits the development of his strong finger and forearm strength to milking the cows on the farm.

Myron attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, where he moonlighted teaching accordion for the Williams Music Company. One of his students was Berdyne Koerner, his future wife.

When World War II began, Myron tried to enlist in the Air Force but was turned down for medical reasons. He later enlisted in the USO and entertained the troops overseas.

Upon his return from the war, he and Berdyne lived in Sioux Falls where Myron had a radio show. In 1946, they moved to St. Louis where he joined the "Buckeye Four", a popular music group specializing in hillbilly music. One night, they went dancing at the Casa Loma ballroom where Welk was appearing. Lawrence invited Myron up on stage to play a number. Myron chose "Lady of Spain". The crowd and Lawrence loved it and he was offered a job with Welk that night. In 1950, he joined the band and stayed until the show's end in 1982.

[Rastus]

Never in my wildest imagination would I ever have envisoned that 40 years later I'd be posting a picture of a LW show member via a computer to the world ...Isn't technology wunnerful ?

Thankfully, Algore did picture it, so here we all are.

[Revolting cat!]

Those Darned Accordions!