He was sixth of the eight children of Ludwig and Christiana (née Schwahn) Welk, Roman Catholic ethnic Germans who emigrated in 1892 from Odessa, Russian Empire (now Ukraine).
Welk was born in the German-speaking community of Strasburg, North Dakota. His style came to be known as 'champagne music' to his radio, television, and live-performance audiences.
Lawrence Welk (Ma– May 17, 1992) was an American accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1951 to 1982.
