Joe Feeney
Joe Feeney(August 15, 1931 – April 16, 2008) was an Americantenorsinger who was a member ofThe Lawrence Welk Showtelevision program.
Early years
[edit]Born to anIrish-Americanfamily inGrand Island,Nebraska,Feeney had two brothers.[1]He started singing as a boysopranoin St. Mary Cathedral,[2]his parish churchchoirand after graduating from St. Mary's Cathedral High School,[3]he landed a guest appearance on the showYouth Opportunity Hour.His mother Mary supported him in all of his activities.
Feeney studied at St. Benedict College in Atchison, Kansas, and at theUniversity of Nebraska.[2]While he attended to his studies at theUniversity of Nebraska,he entered several singing contests, which included a spot on theArlene Francisprogram,Talent Patrol.[4]In 1956, while he was working at radio stationWOWinOmaha,the station manager sent recordings of Feeney's voice to the Welk offices inSanta Monica,CaliforniawhereLawrence Welkoffered him a job on his show.
After their second child was born, Feeney had to drop out of the university for financial reasons. He sold children's encyclopedias until the position on the Welk show became available.[5]
The Lawrence Welk Show
[edit]From 1957 to 1982, when the Welk show ended production, Feeney was the program's featured Irishtenor.[6]Among his selection of musical numbers that were popular with the Welk audience wereDanny Boy,Galway Bay,Sweet Leilaniand theMario LanzaclassicBe My Love.
Other professional activities
[edit]He also has the distinction of singing for fiveUS Presidentsand performed atCarnegie Hallthree times; in 1975 he sang forPope Paul VIat thecanonizationofMother Seton,the first native-born Americansaint.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Feeney was the father of ten children with his first wifeGeorgia Lee Gryva,whom he met and married while they were at the University of Nebraska.[2]One of his sons, Chris, is an accomplishedoperasinger in his own right and often sang with his father in concerts.
Death
[edit]Feeney, a non-smoker, died ofemphysemaat a hospice inCarlsbad,Californiaon April 16, 2008.[6]A son, Tim Feeney, said the family suspects he got the illness from years of exposure tosecond-hand smokein clubs and casinos.[8]He was survived by sons Joe Jr., George Patrick, Chris, Sean, Timothy, and Matt; daughters Kathy Feeney and Georgia Feeney, and nine grandchildren.[9]
References
[edit]- ^Dau, Kathy (April 20, 2008)."Remembering Joe Feeney".The San Diego Union-Tribune.Retrieved29 July2015.
- ^abc"Welk's Irish Tenor, Joe Feeney to Appear".Manitowoc Herald-Times. March 7, 1975. p. 5.RetrievedJuly 28,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^Gloman, Chuck (March 16, 1988)."Joe Feeney among trio bringing Welk music here".Standard-Speaker.Standard-Speaker. p. 45.RetrievedJuly 28,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^Welk Show Family - Biographies
- ^"'Unknown' Joe Feeney Has 30 Million Fans ".Tyrone Daily Herald.Tyrone Daily Herald. April 8, 1961. p. 5.RetrievedJuly 28,2015– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^abPotempa, Philip. "Lawrence Welk's Irish tenor made a career crooning 'Danny Boy'",The Times of Northwest Indiana,May 1, 2008. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
- ^Joe Feeney Tenor Starred on 'Lawrence Welk';All About Jazz,April 23, 2008
- ^Joe Feeney, ‘Lawrence Welk Show’ Singer, Dies at 76;The New York Times,April 24, 2008
- ^"Lawrence Welk tenor Joe Feeney dies at 76".April 23, 2008.Retrieved29 July2015.
External links
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