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Roy Woldum,
Whistler (1949-1952)
Lawrence Welk's Whistler
Roy
Woldum was a performer with the Lawrence Welk Band
from 1949 to 1952. His featured talent was as a
whistler.
Woldum was born Roy Merlyn
Woldum Sr. in 1924 in
Decorah, Iowa. While serving in the Navy during
WWII, his crew mates convinced him that he should
capitalize on his whistling talents once the war
ended. Woldum landed a job with Lawrence Welk as a
truck driver, however, and not a performer. He
eventually convinced Welk to let him perform and
audiences were impressed enough to write letters to
Welk encouraging him to hire Woldum, which he did in
1949.
After leaving the show, Woldum became a
salesman for 25 years. Woldum passed away on August
27, 2003 in Orange
County, CA.
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