I knew nothing of the real life of a musician, but I seemed to see myself standing in front of great crowds of people, playing my accordion.
Conversation didn't seem necessary when I put the accordion down and swung some young lady around the floor.
There are good days and there are bad days, and this is one of them.
Night after night I could feel the chills go up and down my spine, they played so well.
For a while we had trouble trying to get the sound of a champagne cork exploding out of the bottle. I solved the problem by sticking my finger in my mouth and popping it out.
I have never been an innovator, a creative genius.
When my parents first arrived there, North Dakota had just been admitted to the Union, and the country was still wild and harsh.
I was so anxious to succeed that I made a practice of appearing on all the disc jockey shows I could, in order to publicize the band.
Duke Ellington was famous for hs very original harmonic patterns.
The ones the listeners loved most of all in those early years were the four Lennon girls who became the whole nation's little sisters.
Never trust anyone completely but God. Love people, but put your full trust only in God.
If they can't hum it after we play it, it's not for us.
My accent remained terrible. It was very hard for me to initiate any conversation with someone I didn't know.
If I live to be 90, and I'm planning to, I'll always love performing for a live audience.
I expected to be a farmer like my father and brothers. Life seemed pleasant and orderly.
One thing all stage mothers share is an overpowering ambition for their daughters.
The William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh... was the place where Champagne Music was born.
I realized some of the pitfalls of being well-known; it was nice if you were successful, but it made it just that much harder to take when you failed.
One time I introduced my orchestra as the Shampoo Music Makers instead of the Champagne Music Makers.
Over and over I marvel at the blessings of my life: Each year has grown better than the last.
