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Tank-a-ya, Lawrence: Musical tradition ends Aug. 9 on PBS Wisconsin
July 21, 2025 Leave a Comment
After more than three decades of toe-tapping tunes, charming skits and the warmth of public television’s most beloved bandleader, PBS Wisconsin will air its final broadcast of The Lawrence Welk Show at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9. We are grateful for the many years of musical enjoyment this program has offered to our Wisconsin audiences, and we thank you for your viewership.
As we prepared to share this farewell, we were delighted to discover a special connection between Mr. Welk and a member of our own PBS Wisconsin team: membership services specialist Julie Lytle.
“My great grandfather and he were cousins, and it was Lawrence who taught him to play the accordion. Isn’t that wunnerful, wunnerful! When Lawrence left North Dakota for California, he wanted to take my great grandfather with him, but my great great grandparents thought their son was too young. Oh, what might have been!”
Lytle closed her reflection with a heartfelt nod to both the show and our station.
“And while we are saying ‘Auf wiedersehen,’ I say to PBS Wisconsin for the many years of providing the show, what Lawrence did at the end of a musical number to the orchestra, ‘Tank-a-ya, boys.'”
Thank you for welcoming Lawrence Welk and his music into your homes all these years. We’d love to hear your favorite moments and memories from the show in the comments section below.
Lori sordahl says:
The comfort and joy this show brings in todays unsettling times the peace of every show gives you the hope that their is something else to watch without violence and hate if their was a way to keep this show on the air we would do it! we need this little bit of time travel every Saturday to remind us of not only big band music but the simplicity of its greatness
beth schmaltz says:
Beth Schmaltz
my parents watched it Mom had Benny Goodman records which i used for my high school gym required choreography assignment. My mom grew up in a church in Distant PA that did not allow dancing or movies but when I married in 1986 and told her i was having a DJ she and dad took ballroom dancing lessons through the school community ed and my mom danced one dance at my wedding.
Sally Eglinton says:
We had a television before La Crosse had a station, but as soon as there was a station, we watched the original films or kinescopes of the show. They were in black and white, and Alice Lon was the original “champaign lady”. We watched her dance with Lawrence with all the petticoats under her skirt. I think she started a fashion trend. Now I am 82, and I still watch the show. The Welk orchestra had some outstanding musicians, and they presented the “big band” sound as well as the bands of the 1940’s. I will miss hearing the songs that were popular when I was very young. Unfortunately, I realize that now there is a generation who has no idea who Lawrence Welk even was. Time marches on.
Brenda Susor says:
I grew up listening to Lawrence Welk. My Saturdays were planned around the 5:00 airing. I love everything about it! I’ll watch the finale on Saturday, my 65th birthday! What a wonderful way to bid it farewell on PBS, heart breaking as it will be.
Jim says:
I profoundly disagree with your decision to end of the Lawrence Welk show weekly broadcast.
The Lawrence Welk show is associated with senior citizens, and that’s partly true. I can imagine hundreds of retirement and nursing homes where the residents’ highlight of their week is to gather together to watch the Lawrence Welk show. You are depriving them of that happiness.
But I would say that the Lawrence Welk show is equally as important to all generations of viewers. There are fans of all generations that love big band music and the Welk stars, and also of pro-American wholesome entertainment. The Lawrence Welk show is also a highlight of my week, and has been so for my lifetime. It is truly a unique show.
Lawrence Welk fans should be part of the “public” in public television, just as any other demographic.
PBS now also risks losing the financial support of Lawrence Welk fans.
I am asking you to change your decision and keep Lawrence Welk on your weekly broadcast schedule. At a minimum, I request you make all Lawrence Welk episodes permanently available on PBS passport.
Amy Lehmann says:
I couldn’t agree more! My dad is in a memory care facility. He can only minimally work his TV, but every week my sisters and I make sure we are there to turn on Lawrence Welk for him. It’s the one thing he enjoys more than anything else. Listening to these songs brings him out of his fog, changes his mood, and brings him joy. He doesn’t do “streaming” or youtube, and this is the only program like it on all of cable. Anf though Im in my 50’s, I’ve come to really enjoy it, too. So sad to see it go!
Marilyn says:
I know many people may have enjoyed the Lawrence Welk show, but I for one am glad to see the back of it. It is definitely time for PBS to move into this century and say a fond farewell to the last century.
Rod Wolf says:
He played at my parents wedding in Strasburg North Dakota before California. He was the ” hots e tots-te ” local band before TV in 1951. My uncle Albert Wolf attorney had his boyhood farm house put on the National Register of Historic places in 1993 to preserve for all to visit. You can still take a swim in the Lawrence Welk pool in Strasburg he donated to the city. Population 379!
Alyssa Beno says:
Sounds like a fun wedding! Thank you for sharing your story (and a fun roadtrip opportunity), Rod!
Jim kurtz says:
For the last decade I have enjoyed sharing with John and Marta B. Our mutual enjoyment. We are planning a tail gate share our pain.
Kathy Schermetzler says:
Is there anything fans can do to bring the show back? There are so many of us that have grown up watching Lawrence Welk and continue to enjoy. Than you.
Cecelia Vanderlip says:
My 97 year old Mom is a faithful viewer…she will greatly miss the show:)
Irene Ihle says:
😭 Day it isn’t so!!
Roberta Struck says:
I am so sad you are taking this off. My Mom passed away in 2020 At the age of almost 102. This was her very favorite show and we always watched it together. I’ve continued watching as it brings back such good memories of Mom. Also the cast members of the show are so multitalented. Many of them play multiple instruments, and sing and dance. It is a treasure and I don’t understand why you would quit airing it.
Sarah Marty says:
Watching “The Lawrence Welk Show” with my grandmother on Saturday afternoons was a huge part of my childhood – it’s where I first saw big band orchestras and dancers and gained an appreciation for the music of the 1940s and 1950s, in particular. It was how I got my start as a musician – seeing so many talented individuals performing on this program and being exposed to different styles of social dance music. Even now, as an adult, it’s a regular part of trips back home …Rick Steves followed by Lawrence Welk.
Will episodes be available for viewing on PBS Passport? Per the PBS Wisconsin website, “The Lawrence Welk Show” is currently available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio. Will that continue, and, if so, I encourage you to add that information to this article.
Emily says:
My dog is a fan of the Lawrence Welk show – I’ll have it on in the background while I’m doing other things on a Saturday, turn around to check on the dog, and he’s sitting on the couch watching the show. I’m sorry to see it go, but interested to see the programming that comes in that time slot!
Steve Dogan says:
I’m 51 but I’ve been into big band for decades. Does anyone know exactly WHY they are suddenly taking this off?
Julie P Huebner says:
This is such a GREAT loss. I love watching Lawrence Welk. A great insight into music history plus such great music, vocal, instrumental and even dancing. I do hope they replace it with some decent music and not more liberal DEI stuff.
Christine Rek says:
Probably due to lack of funds since the president cut their promised funding!
Malinda Morella says:
I agree with U. Maybe she could still watch or listen to it on youtube if it is gonna stay on there. I know I hope it stays on youtube. So I can continue watching The Lawrence Welk Show.
Mark Heller says:
Honestly, it’s time to sunset some shows. Lawrence Welk’s show was recorded in LA at the WABC-TV facilities. The same cameramen, audio engineers and stagehands recorded Dick Clark’s American Bandstand at the Vine Street facility. I attended both, in one day, in 1977. That was 48 years ago! These shows are edited down for PBS, without commercials. I just hope the time slot is not filled with more British dramas or BBC based shows.
Mary Teresa Foss says:
My husband and I are saddened that The Lawrence Welk Show will be done on Aug. 9. We both came of age in the 70s, but grew up with our parents watching the show. As we have aged, we have enjoyed the reruns on Saturday evenings. We just discovered this sad news when we received our monthly subscription to “Airwaves” in the mail today. I just said to my husband, “What are we going to do on Saturday nights now?” My husband has health issues, and it is difficult for us to go out. The show is inspirational, especially in these discordant times. Is there anything a member/viewer can do to help bring the show back? Is the show being discontinued due to a lack of funding or viewership, or some of each? A response would be much appreciated. Allan and Mary, like Craig and Mary, ask that the show be continued.
Malinda Morella says:
I am also saddened to hear that Lawrence Welk will be off the air. I always watched it with my dad and grandpa as a child. I may be older now. But I still enjoy The Lawrence Welk Show. Listening and watching the show brings so many memories. I will miss watching every Saturday and Sunday. Til then I am not gonna stop watching The Lawrence Welk Show. It would be nice if it could stay on the air.
Ron West says:
Loosing this TV program will be a tremendous loss!! It is agreed that during this period in theses America States the is turmoil that is destructive to our great way of life, keep the GOOD ENTERTAINMENT COMMING!!!!!
Cheryl Feld says:
Any good German-Russian wouldn’t miss the Lawrence Welk Show. and my mom knew his success story well. I wasn’t crazy about having to watch, I was a rock and role loving teen. When it became a Saturday regular on PBS, my mother continued to enjoy the reruns. I sat with her, thankful I could share her delight and the last years of her life. Thanks from both of us.
Jean Toeppler says:
My 93 year old mother is very sad to see The Lawrence Welk show leave PBS. It gives her great joy! I ask you keep it on.
Deb says:
I am saddened to hear that you are no longer able to program Lawrence Welk.
I grew up watching Lawrence Welk and have especially fond memories of watching at my grandparents’ dairy farm in northern Wisconsin. My extended family would always be at the farm on Saturdays & Sundays for work and play. Both sides of my family are German, so every special occasion included polka music. My Uncles even had a Polka band that we would follow locally. It’s been enjoyable to relive these special memories each week when we would watch Larwence Welk on WPT. Thank you.
Kathy Penniston-Smith says:
I’ve probably seen all the episodes as reruns, but my mom said that back in the 1950s when she would walk to church on Saturday evenings as a teenager, she could here the Lawrence Welk show music coming out of every house as she passed by.
Alyssa Beno says:
I can only imagine what an enjoyable walk that was! Thanks for sharing, Kathy.
Roy Jr Rothenbuehler says:
I grew up watching the show back in the 60’s on Saturday nights with my parents. I still watch it today & his specials when they would come on. I will miss the show but I do have a lot of Lawerence Welk videos that I can watch as well. Thanks for the yrs of running his shows. God Bless.
Craig Cottine says:
We never miss a show if at all possible. I would ask that PBS continue with this show, and encourage next generation viewers. We are now 82 and 84 respectively. Craig and Mary
Steve Sheldon says:
I enjoy watching the show when I can discern when it was originally aired. Interesting to look up what was going on in the world at that same time. Gives a cultural reference.