Jo Ann Castle Biography

Jo Ann Castle was born to be a star. At the age of three she was toddling on stage in little flowered gowns and ruffle bonnets, charming audiences with her dancing. She was taking both music and dancing lessons at the time, but when she was seven, her family could no longer afford both. “My mom told me I cried louder about giving up music lessons than dancing, so we stuck with the music.” A wise choice as it turned out, Jo Ann was perfect for music.

Her mother worked long hours as a waitress to help pay for Jo Ann’s lessons. Talented in both piano and accordion, Jo Ann entertained constantly at civic clubs, church groups and school functions in the city of Bakersfield, California where she was born. When she was eleven, her father, who was a railroad conductor, moved the family to Ventura, California in hopes of furthering her theatrical career. Somehow she knew from a very early age that someday she would be in show business. When she was quite young she watched the Ina Ray Hutton All Girl Orchestra, a popular TV show in the fifties. “And I knew that I would be on that show one day. I just knew it.” And at the age of 16 she did appear on the show as a regular during the summer months. The same thing happened with the Welk show. “I was watching it when I had the overwhelming feeling that I would be on that show too. I could see Lawrence introducing me. I knew it would happen.” It did.

When she was just 18, Jo Ann made an accordion record and sent it to the show as an audition piece. A few weeks later she was asked to guest on the show. That was in June, 1958. Six months later, on New Year’s Eve, she appeared again. Another six months went by and Big Tiny Little, the show’s resident honky-tonk pianist, left the show. “My Dad,” laughs Jo Ann, “drove me crazy insisting I call the show and remind them I was available. But I told him, no, they know my work, if they want me, they’ll call.” Two weeks later Lawrence asked her to be a guest the following Saturday night. The same thing happened the next week and the next. By the third week Jo Ann still had no job offer. But when she finished that show, she was totally surprised to see Lawrence walking toward her with a birthday cake. It was her 20th birthday, and with his announcement that she was now a member of the Musical Family, her dream had come true.

For the next 10 years Jo Ann sizzled on the show, bringing a touch of excitement, of fun. She sang, she danced, she clowned with Jack Imel, and she played accordion with Myron. But most of all she played her honky-tonky piano, and her smile and verve brought her legions of fans.

Says Jo Ann, “I will always be grateful to Lawrence Welk for the opportunities and support he gave me. I can’t express that strongly enough.”

In 1969, Jo Ann left the Welk Show to strike out on her own. Lawrence understood and she not only left with his blessing, but was welcomed back when she returned as a guest star in later years. They were always friends.