Jimmy Roberts (singer)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jimmy Roberts (April 6, 1924 - February 6, 1999) was an American singer. He was a featured performer on the TV variety program The Lawrence Welk Show during its entire broadcast run from 1955 to 1982.

Born in Madisonville, Kentucky, he was serving in the United States Army after World War II when he was hit with the "show business" bug. He first sang in public during a military play while the sets were being changed, and later upon his discharge from the Army, set out for Hollywood to learn his craft at the Herbert Wall Music School. In 1954 he was hired by Lawrence Welk as a sololist during when Welk's orchestra performed on local television station KTLA, and at the Aragon Ballroom in Santa Monica, California. A year later, when the Lawrence Welk orchestra made the move to national television on ABC, Roberts' natural singing talents made him nationally famous.

During his tenure on the show, his signature numbers such as I Left My Heart In San Francisco, and My Old Kentucky Home made him an audience favorite, especially among the show's female fans. He also sang duets with the show's Champagne Lady Norma Zimmer.

Roberts was the father of two sons, Gary and Steven, from his first marriage with Jane, who died in 1976. He and his second wife Vi, were married in 1985 until his death from bone cancer in 1999.