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This is one of the first of many shows whose theme is country music, and it opens uo with the classic Wabash Cannonball, featuring five guitars. What stands out is that the band as a whole has little participation; most of the pieces are vocals or small ensembles.

Ralna does Tennessee Waltz, Jimmy sings Make the World Go Away, Dick does The Eyes of A Child, and Clay performs It's Over.

Bobby and Cissy do a clog dance without clog shoes, Arthur does one of the three routines he knows to You Are My Sunshine. Sandy and Sally sing Old Cotton Fields Back Home. The Hotsie Totsie Boys finish up with Momma Don't Let.

The 2000 wraparound is hosted by Clay (died 2022) and Sally Hart, one of two times the spotlight. The sing two wedding songs they wrote for nieces. They also announce their move from Nashville to Florida and introduce the pet poodle.

This 1961 episode, from 64 years ago, conserves the original format of the show: predominantly instrumentals with band members coming out to do vocals. The configurations is a good deal different from the later shows: 5 violins, three keyboardists, and a larger group overall.

The Lennon Sisters are without Diane, who is off having another baby, and Neil Levang replaced Buddy Merrill, who had been drafted. Pat Boone is the guest. His presence was due to the fact both he and Welk were under contract to Dot Records. He lipsyncs Moody River.

What really stands out is the presentation of complete songs, uncut to allow numbers of a ballooned cast of the later years.

This is LW at its best.

The 1999 wrap-around is hosted by Mary Lou and her husband Richard Maloof. Maloof died in May of 2024 at 84, and one wonders why this episode wasn't presented at that time to honor his memory, But OETV has returned to programming the shows in the same order every year. This has included omitting Memorial Day, July 4th, and even New Years.

Reflecting the theme, the show opens with a medley from Sound of Music, followed by Tanya doing With a Song in My Heart. Cissy and Bobby dance to Music Music Music, and then the band does I've Heard That Song Before. Most of the regulars round out the show, although Norma is absent.

This show cannot be faulted for not staying with the theme. And Mary Lou and Richard get two pieces, one during the show and one during the wrap around.