Charlotte Harris

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Charlotte Harris (born April 29, 1931) is an American musician who plays the cello and was a member of the Lawrence Welk orchestra.

[edit] Life

Born in Oak Park, Illinois; Harris first took up the cello at age five, she first played as part of a jazz combo throughout her childhood and teenage years. She has also played with numerous symphony orchestras across the country including both the Chicago and the San Antonio Symphony.

In 1956, she appeared in the film Around The World In 80 Days as a musician. By this time, she had moved out to Los Angeles working as a session musician and with various bands. It was in early 1961 that she was hired by Lawrence Welk as the orchestra's new cellist where she performed both on his television show, and in their live concerts, whenever they went out on tour and at the Hollywood Palladium on Saturday evenings.

Throughout her tenure on the show, she was featured many times with pianist Bob Ralston for instrumental numbers and has also performed with the Welk singers in many choral numbers.

Harris left the show in 1978 and was replaced by Ernie Ehrhardt. Today she lives with her husband, Edwin Deveny in Palos Verdes, California where she teaches cello and has two daughters, Charlotte and Catherine. She also teaches beginning and intermediate piano in her studio, which features two Steinway grand pianos.