Neil Levang (January 3, 1932 â€" January 26, 2015) was an American
musician who was best known from television's The Lawrence Welk Show,
playing guitar, violin and banjo.The younger of two boys, Levang was
born in Adams, North Dakota, a farmer's son of Swedish and Norwegian
descent. He got his start playing the banjo and soon added guitar and
violin. As a young boy, Levang moved with his family between Adams,
North Dakota and Bemidji, Minnesota before migrating west. They
settled in Riverside, California when Levang was thirteen. At the age
of fifteen, he was playing with area bands and establishing himself as
a versatile and accomplished stringed instrumentalist. In 1948, Levang
appeared with Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage, as well
as Jimmy Wakely and several other country swing bands.Levang joined
the United States Coast Guard in 1951 which took him to Seattle,
Washington. There he continued in the music scene playing with "Texas
Jim Lewis and his Lonestar Cowboys". He also hosted his own radio
show. In 1959, he was hired as a temporary guitar and banjo player on
The Lawrence Welk Show when Buddy Merrill left to serve in the United
States Army. Welk was so pleased with his ability that he hired Levang
on a permanent basis when Buddy completed his tour of duty in 1961.
Levang stayed with the Welk Band until its final show in 1982. That
same year, at the Country Music Association Awards he was nominated
for best artist on a speciality instrument, the mandolin. He was also
an accomplished studio musician, playing on several records for
artists such as Glen Campbell, Frank Zappa, Bobby Darin, Bobbi Gentry,
David Clayton Thomas, Neal Hefti ("Batman Theme"), Elvis Presley, Dean
Martin, Neil Diamond and Noel Boggs.Levang performed as a studio
musician on many television shows including Little House on the
Prairie, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Brady Bunch, The Monkees, Highway
to Heaven, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, and a host of
Hanna-Barbera cartoons. He was the featured guitarist with Naomi and
Wynonna Judd on the 1985 and 1986 Academy of Country Music Association
Awards television broadcast. He was the subject of an extensive career
profile by historian Rich Kienzle in the December 2009 issue of
Vintage Guitar Magazine.
musician who was best known from television's The Lawrence Welk Show,
playing guitar, violin and banjo.The younger of two boys, Levang was
born in Adams, North Dakota, a farmer's son of Swedish and Norwegian
descent. He got his start playing the banjo and soon added guitar and
violin. As a young boy, Levang moved with his family between Adams,
North Dakota and Bemidji, Minnesota before migrating west. They
settled in Riverside, California when Levang was thirteen. At the age
of fifteen, he was playing with area bands and establishing himself as
a versatile and accomplished stringed instrumentalist. In 1948, Levang
appeared with Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage, as well
as Jimmy Wakely and several other country swing bands.Levang joined
the United States Coast Guard in 1951 which took him to Seattle,
Washington. There he continued in the music scene playing with "Texas
Jim Lewis and his Lonestar Cowboys". He also hosted his own radio
show. In 1959, he was hired as a temporary guitar and banjo player on
The Lawrence Welk Show when Buddy Merrill left to serve in the United
States Army. Welk was so pleased with his ability that he hired Levang
on a permanent basis when Buddy completed his tour of duty in 1961.
Levang stayed with the Welk Band until its final show in 1982. That
same year, at the Country Music Association Awards he was nominated
for best artist on a speciality instrument, the mandolin. He was also
an accomplished studio musician, playing on several records for
artists such as Glen Campbell, Frank Zappa, Bobby Darin, Bobbi Gentry,
David Clayton Thomas, Neal Hefti ("Batman Theme"), Elvis Presley, Dean
Martin, Neil Diamond and Noel Boggs.Levang performed as a studio
musician on many television shows including Little House on the
Prairie, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Brady Bunch, The Monkees, Highway
to Heaven, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, and a host of
Hanna-Barbera cartoons. He was the featured guitarist with Naomi and
Wynonna Judd on the 1985 and 1986 Academy of Country Music Association
Awards television broadcast. He was the subject of an extensive career
profile by historian Rich Kienzle in the December 2009 issue of
Vintage Guitar Magazine.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.