Jayne Walton Rosen
Encyclopedia
Jayne Walton Rosen was an American
entertainer, singer and actress, who worked as Lawrence Welk
's Champagne Lady from 1940 until 1945.
Rosen was born Jayne Flanagan in San Antonio, Texas
, on August 28, 1917. However, she was largely raised in Torreón
, Coahuila
, where her father worked for a silver mining company. Her mother was a pianist
and her sister was a dancer. Rosen was influenced by Mexican culture early in life, learning Spanish
and noting the country's sharp class divisions.
She attended Brackenridge High School in San Antonio, Texas
. Flanagan performed at talent shows around San Antonio, including the Majestic Theatre, under the stage name, Jayne Walton.
She began singing at local radio stations in San Antonio, beforing moving on to stations in Oklahoma City
, Dallas and Chicago
. One of her radio performances was heard by musician Lawrence Welk
, who asked Walton to join his band, the Lawrence Welk Orchestra.
Welk named Walton as his Champagne Lady in the early 1940s during World War II
. Walton, who could sing in Spanish due to her childhood in Coahuila, recorded the song Maria Elena
with Welk, which was certified gold
.
Walton left the Lawrence Welk Orchestra in the mid-1940s to pursue a solo singing career. She enjoyed success in Chicago
and New York City
. She largely retired from the professional entertainment circuit in 1952, when she married her husband and adopted the name Jayne Walton Rosen. She continued to make guest appearances on Welk's long-running television show,
The Lawrence Welk Show
.
Rosen later worked as a salesperson at the Rhodes department store
and Dillard's
at the Central Park Mall. She retired circa 1990.
Rosen remained in good health throughout most of her life. However, she suffered from failing health during her later years, including heart disease
and kidney disease, which required dialysis
. She also broke her hip in a fall.
Jayne Walton Rosen died in San Antonio on January 10, 2010, at the age of 92. She was survived by her son, Daniel Rosen, a law professor in Tokyo; grandchildren, Daniel Rosen Jr. and Allison Rosen; and former daughter-in-law, Sheri Rosen. She was buried in San Fernando Cemetery No. 3.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entertainer, singer and actress, who worked as Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
's Champagne Lady from 1940 until 1945.
Rosen was born Jayne Flanagan in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, on August 28, 1917. However, she was largely raised in Torreón
Torreón
Torreón is a city and seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Coahuila. As of 2010, the city's population was 608,836 with 639,629 in the municipality. The metropolitan population, including Matamoros, Coahuila, and Gómez Palacio and Lerdo in adjacent Durango,...
, Coahuila
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
, where her father worked for a silver mining company. Her mother was a pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and her sister was a dancer. Rosen was influenced by Mexican culture early in life, learning Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and noting the country's sharp class divisions.
She attended Brackenridge High School in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. Flanagan performed at talent shows around San Antonio, including the Majestic Theatre, under the stage name, Jayne Walton.
She began singing at local radio stations in San Antonio, beforing moving on to stations in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Dallas and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. One of her radio performances was heard by musician Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
, who asked Walton to join his band, the Lawrence Welk Orchestra.
Welk named Walton as his Champagne Lady in the early 1940s during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Walton, who could sing in Spanish due to her childhood in Coahuila, recorded the song Maria Elena
Maria Elena
"María Elena" is a 1932 popular song written by Lorenzo Barcelata . It was published by Peer International Corporation of Mexico...
with Welk, which was certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
Walton left the Lawrence Welk Orchestra in the mid-1940s to pursue a solo singing career. She enjoyed success in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She largely retired from the professional entertainment circuit in 1952, when she married her husband and adopted the name Jayne Walton Rosen. She continued to make guest appearances on Welk's long-running television show,
The Lawrence Welk Show
The Lawrence Welk Show
The Lawrence Welk Show is an American televised musical variety show hosted by big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally in Los Angeles for four years , then nationally for another 27 years via the ABC network and first-run syndication .In the years since first-run syndication...
.
Rosen later worked as a salesperson at the Rhodes department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
and Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
at the Central Park Mall. She retired circa 1990.
Rosen remained in good health throughout most of her life. However, she suffered from failing health during her later years, including heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
and kidney disease, which required dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
. She also broke her hip in a fall.
Jayne Walton Rosen died in San Antonio on January 10, 2010, at the age of 92. She was survived by her son, Daniel Rosen, a law professor in Tokyo; grandchildren, Daniel Rosen Jr. and Allison Rosen; and former daughter-in-law, Sheri Rosen. She was buried in San Fernando Cemetery No. 3.