Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show With Biographies of Cast & Crew

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Buddy Merrill joined the Lawrence Welk Show in 1959 and remained with the show until 1977.  Lawrence Welk had wanted to add the new sound of Rock N Roll to his show and hired Merrill to play "Rock Around the Clock."

While he was with Welk, Merrill made a number of solo recordings beginning in the mid-'60s and continuing into the '70s. He was a proficient and versatile guitar player who recorded and performed on both the electric and the steel pedal guitar. He also wrote the musical scores for a number of television commercials. 

After Merrill left Welk's show, Merrill continued to write and compose music and produced several television and radio commercials. He also performed in a Country band based in Los Angeles. In the early '90s, he began recording as a solo performer again. He released Beyond the Reef in 1992, followed by World of Guitars in 1994. 

In this clip below, Buddy Merrill plays San Antonio Rose with Neil LeVang