Norma Zimmer

Singer. A familiar face on both the Christian and secular music scenes, she shall be remembered as the last and best-known "Champagne Lady" of Lawrence Welk's long-running television show. Born Norma Larsen, she was raised in Seattle, learned to sing in church choirs, and at 18 went to Los Angeles to attempt a career in show business. After performing with the Ken Darby Singers, the Norman Luboff Choir, and other groups, she had a small role in Bing Crosby's 1950 "Mr. Music", was the White Rose of the 1951 Disney feature "Alice in Wonderland", and appeared on numerous television shows of the 1950s including one 1956 episode of "I Love Lucy". As part of the quartet "The Girlfriends", she sang back-up for Perry Como, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and others, appearing on Bing Crosby's classic "White Christmas" album; winning an audition to be Welk's new Champagne Lady after Alice Lon left, she made her debut on December 31, 1960 and was to be heard every week in a song and in a duet with one of the show's other singers, often Jimmy Roberts. After about 1962 Norma wanted to quit and spend more time with her family, but Welk kept bringing her back week-to-week until the show finally closed in 1982. She sang at the White House for President Nixon and after leaving television toured with the Reverend Billy Graham, painted, and remained active well into her later years, dividing her time between Utah and Southern California. Her autobiography, "Norma", was published in 1976; at her death she left a large recorded legacy of solo albums as well as back-up appearances. The "Lawrence Welk Show" remained in syndication for a number of years and can still be seen occasionally, with a number of episodes preserved on DVD.