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MORE BIOS OF YOUR MUSIC MAKERS!
BOB RALSTON organist & pianist was born in Montibello, CA on July 2, 1939. Bob, whose mother was the original voice of Minnie Mouse, began his professional music career with the Freddy Martin and Ray Coniff bands before joining Lawrence Welk in 1963. That same year, he married his Dutch wife Fiejte, in which they later had two children. For almost twenty years, Bob provided the show his expert organ and keyboard work, and also appeared in chorus numbers. Since Welk, Bob had hosted his own radio show, “Gee Dad! It’s A Wurlitzer!” for four years on KPCC and for the past sixteen years, served as music director of the Hollywood Bowl’s Eatser Sunrise Service.DON STAPLES trombonist was born in Billings, MT on July 9, 1939. Before joing the Chapagne Music Makers in 1965, Don played with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and with the Roger Wagner Chorale. Married to wife Betty since they were students at UCLA, they are the parents of two daughters, and they make their home in South Florida. In recent years, Don has kept busy in freelance gigs, teaching trombone at his alma mater, did his share of studio recording and has conducted shows for Amway.BOB DAVIS flutist, saxophonist and clarinet player hails from Brawley, CA where he was born on April 26th. First taking up the saxophone at age 12, and by 14 he was performing in his first band. After gigs with S. Zentner and Les Brown, he joined the music makers in the woodwind section in 1965…peforming with Dave Edwards, Russ Klein, Orie Amadeo, Peanuts Hucko and Henry Cuesta. Bob, who was perviously married to Sherry Aldridge, is the father of three children, and has done session work in Nashville. He also has done night clubs and had his own seventeen piece orchestra, “Bob Davis and the Prime Time Orcehstra.”PAUL HUMPHREY drummer from 1976 to 1982 was born in Detroit, MI on October 10, 1935. Performing mostly in studio sessions around Los Angeles, he had his own band “Paul Humphrey and his Cool Aid Chemists” which tasted success with a Top 20 R&B hit, “Cool Aid” in 1971. He joined the Music Makers in 1976, when Johnny Klein fell ill, and dazzled audiences with his workmanship at the sticks. Since the show ended its regular run, Paul continued his studio work, and has performed at numerous jazz festivals and worked with many numerous big band singers. He is married to Joan, and has two children, Pier and Damien.JOE LIVOTI violinist was born in Cambridge, MA on Sept 24th. A musical prodigy from birth, Joe won a music scholarship to the Boston Conservatory of Music at age twelve, and again at age fourteen! After years of hard work in studio recording with NBC’s staff orchestra and at Warner Brothers. He joined the Welk Family over at ABC in 1962 and remained for nearly 20 years. Among his other musical talents include the guitar, piano and was a scratch arranger. Until his death, he was married to Erma and the father of two children.
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