Palm Springs Follies

GUEST STARRING JO ANN CASTLE

January 6-20, 2002 & April 2-May 12, 2002

"Jo Ann Castle doesn’t tickle the Ivories, she hammers them—as if she is building the piano instead of playing it." This recent observation by TV Guide helps to describe the timeless appeal of the bouncy blond who has been entertaining American audiences since her debut on The Lawrence Welk Show over 40 years ago.

Castle began her career in Bakersfield, California, where she began singing, dancing and performing at the age of three. By age seven, she was studying classical piano and, at age ten, moved with her family to Ventura and started playing the accordion. She turned professional at the tender age of 15 working for such band leaders as country and western’s Tex Williams, Ina Ray Hutton and her All-Girl Orchestra, "King of Western Swing" Spade Cooley and Spike Jones.  By age 17,  she had formed her own band and was appearing regularly at the Dunes and Fremont Hotels in Las Vegas where she recorded her first album entitled "Accordion in Hi-Fi" for Roulette Records.

When Welk heard the album, he immediately invited her to make the first of several guest appearances on his ABC-televised show—all before the age of 19! Two years later, Mr. Welk invited her back and, on her 20th birthday with millions of viewers watching, surprised her with an invitation to become a permanent member of his musical family.  Castle went on to become one of its most popular entertainers until she left in 1970 to start a family.

Since 1994, she has been one of the stars at Lawrence Welk’s Champagne Theater in Branson and now travels nationwide with her dazzling one-woman show. Regarding her guest appearance at the Fabulous Follies, "It’s a thrill to be a part of such a wonderful show with such talented entertainers," states Castle.

With the veracity of Jerry Lee Lewis and the flamboyance of Liberace, Follies’ audiences will most assuredly be wowed with the comedy, sass, boundless energy and unique piano stylings of this dazzling entertainer.