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282:, the Myron Floren Orchestra played during the Welk show's off-season and during holiday breaks, becoming a regional favorite. After the show went off the air in the early 1980s, Floren continued to perform on the road, as many as 200 days a year, either as a solo artist, with his orchestra, or with other members of the
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Over the next thirty-two years, Floren became one of the most popular members of the band and the organization itself. It began with the band's migration to
California, along with concert dates on the road, and exposure to television, first on local broadcasts from the
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with two brothers, Arlie and Duane (a.k.a. Dewey), and four sisters, Valborg, Genevieve, Virginia, and Gloria. Before Myron played the accordion he had piano lessons from
Dorothy Swenson, his music teacher, who identified with Myron because she also had had
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Although Floren's musical technique made him a much better accordion player than Welk, the two men developed a close working relationship, and Welk never hesitated to allow Floren to display his virtuosity; occasionally the two would even play duets.
250:", and from the overwhelming positive response from the audience, Lawrence hired Myron to be a permanent member of his band. "Lady of Spain" also became Floren's trademark song and he played it countless times on the Welk show.
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awarded Myron Floren their Merit Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the international accordion movement. In July 1996, the
American Accordionists' Association honored Floren for his achievements.
144:, written with his daughter Randee Floren, he recalled handling road manager duties when the band traveled, including hotel arrangements and other logistics. Prior to his death, he hosted some of the repeats of
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Floren was highly regarded by
Lawrence Welk, who was an accomplished accordion player in his own right. Floren functioned as Welk's principal assistant and second-in-command. In Floren's autobiography
177:. He taught himself how to play the instrument. He often spent several hours a day using his own methods of study. Soon he was performing solo around the community, often at fairs and social events.
222:. After the war, he returned home to South Dakota, where he married Berdyne Koerner in 1945. The couple eventually had five daughters and gained three sons-in-law and seven grandchildren.
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After suffering from rheumatic fever as a child, his accordion playing saved his life, as the exertion strengthened his heart back to pre-fever performance. At a 1980 performance at
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when the United States entered World War II, but was turned down for active duty because of heart damage caused by the rheumatic fever he had suffered as a child.
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was on television, Floren was a featured solo performer and an assistant conductor. He also took over some of the maestro's announcing duties.
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Floren was born to Ole and Tillie
Florence. A first-generation American of Norwegian immigrant parentage, he grew up on a farm near
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between 1950 and 1980. Floren came to prominence primarily from his regular appearances on the weekly television series in which
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In the mid-1970s, Floren formed an orchestra of his own while still employed by the Welk organization. Headquartered in
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in 1984 and inducted into the
International Polka Music Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1992 at a General Assembly in
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In 1950, Floren, who was performing with a music group known as "The
Buckeye Four", went to a dance at the
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at which the
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in the audience, he invited him to play a number with his band. The number turned out to be "
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cast. He is also shown playing in the music video 'Can't Cry
Anymore' by the band Kansas.
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as "The Melody Man" and teaching accordion in the area. He tried to enlist in the
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dubbed him as "the happy
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123:(November 5, 1919 – July 23, 2005) was an American musician best known as the
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However, he insisted on serving his country by joining the
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Floren was among the first class of inductees into the
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Among the annual events which he headlined were the
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457:, artistdirect.com; accessed August 9, 2017.
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641:People from Day County, South Dakota
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266:network in 1955. During the time
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16:American accordionist (1919–2005)
626:Deaths from cancer in California
562:Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show
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496:(Norsk Høstfest Hall of Fame)
407:"United States National News"
517:Myron Floren – Inducted 1990
611:Augustana University alumni
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519:(Polka Music Hall of Fame)"
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646:20th-century accordionists
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426:"TRIBUTE TO MYRON FLOREN"
197:Sioux Falls, South Dakota
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501:October 7, 2010, at the
230:Years with Lawrence Welk
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111:, Myron Floren Orchestra
601:American accordionists
455:Myron Floren Biography
443:Myron Floren biography
377:Long Long Ago in Swing
352:Skating Waltz in Swing
268:The Lawrence Welk Show
146:The Lawrence Welk Show
130:The Lawrence Welk Show
108:The Lawrence Welk Show
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382:Minute Waltz in Swing
346:Selected compositions
411:www.accordionusa.com
315:New Braunfels, Texas
295:Milwaukee, Wisconsin
67:Roslyn, South Dakota
571:Notable Biographies
525:on January 26, 2011
494:Myron Florin – 1986
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387:Accordion Man Polka
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307:Strawberry Festival
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79:(2005-07-23)
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596:2005 deaths
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367:Windy River
325:Recognition
291:German Fest
274:Later years
156:Early years
102:Formerly of
585:Categories
393:References
335:Trossingen
175:squeezebox
60:1919-11-05
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529:August 7,
284:Welk Show
216:Lily Pons
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