Best known for her more than 20-year association with Lawrence Welk, singer Norma Zimmer died at her Brea, California home on Tuesday, May 10 at the age of 87 according to a statement released to the press by Welk's son, Larry early Wednesday. While Zimmer's name may not be as instantly recognizable as some of the more famous girl singers of her time, her contributions to popular culture are indeed memorable.

Born in July of 1923 in Larson, Idaho, Zimmer's family soon moved to Seattle. Her early career began when she joined a number of vocal groups including the The Girlfriends, alongside Betty Allen. While withThe Girlfriends, she recorded backup vocals for such notable stars as Perry Como, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, even providing backing vocals on his 1940s mega-hit, White Christmas.

In 1949, she made her network television debut as a singer on The Meredith Willson Show. One year later, she rejoined Crosby, this time on the big-screen, albeit in a small, uncredited role as a singer in his 1950 musical comedy, Mr. Music. 

During this time, Zimmer also performed with other vocal groups including the Norman Luboff Choir, the Ken Darby Singers and the Pete King Chorale. By the 1950s, while singing with these various groups, Zimmer appeared in several of the popular variety shows of the day.

In 1951, Zimmer provided the voice for two animated characters, one for the big-screen, one for the small-screen, both unfortunately uncredited. Astute animation fans may know her as the voice of The White Rose from Disney's feature-length Alice In Wonderland.  Baby boomers are also likely to remember her as the voice of Suzy Snowflake in the made-for-TV holiday short of the same name, which aired predominately in the mid-west, most famously as part of Chicago's WGN holiday programming.

The following year, it was back to the big-screen in yet another uncredited singing role, this time as a chorus girl in the Gene Kelly/Debbie Reynolds/Donald O'Connor hit, Singin' In The Rain. 

In 1956, she appeared in a Season 5 episode of ILove Lucy titled Lucy Goes to Scotland. That same year, she played Mimi in La Boheme, a musical segment within the storyline of Mario Lanza's film, Serenade. Although she didn't appear in her next movie itself, Zimmer sang the theme to Glen Ford's 1957 western 3:10 to Yuma. Her recording of After All These Years was included in the 1958 film, tom thumb, starring Russ Tamblyn and Alan Young.

As the 1950s came to a close, Zimmer landed the role of a lifetime when she was asked to fill in on The Lawrence Welk Show for former Champagne Lady, Alice Lon whom Welk had reportedly fired for exposing too much knee on camera. On New Year's Eve, 1960, Zimmer officially joined the show as the new Champagne Lady, the title Welk gave his orchestra's female lead singer. 

During her two decades with the show, she frequently toured with Welk and his traveling band. On the weekly TV series, she would typically perform a solo and a duet most often with Jimmy Roberts, as well as dance with Welk at the close of each weekly television broadcast as the effervescent champagne music played. 

Even after The Lawrence Welk Show ceased production, it continued in syndicated reruns, specifically on public television stations across the country as a staple of Saturday night programming. I myself remember many a Saturday night watching Lawrence Welk reruns with my grandparents. 

Since 1987, Zimmer has often appeared on public TV specials showcasing the wealth of talent featured on the long-running orchestral show. These special usually ran in conjunction with the network's annual pledge drive. Earlier this year, Zimmer made her final public appearance as part of a tribute to Welk that took place at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills.

Of the late singer, Welk's son, Larry said, "She was one of the most gracious, likable people that anyone could ever meet. The other people on the show, to this day, just respect and love her."

In recent years, aside from the aforementioned public TV appearances, Zimmer had all but retired from show business due to neurological difficulties. She was preceded in death by her husband of more than fifty years, Randy Zimmer, and is survived by sons Ron and Mark and their families.

To this day, The Lawrence Welk Show reruns are seen on PBS affiliates across the country, usually airing in the late afternoon or the first hour of primetime programming. 

Be sure to tune in and raise a glass to Norma Zimmer this Saturday, May 14, at 8/7c, when PBS airs a rebroadcast of a 1981 special featuring the music of George M. Cohan, the Mills Brothers, Duke Ellington, Judy Garland and Eddie Arnold. 

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