The Mom and Dads

The Mom and Dads was a Western-styled folk music group from Spokane, Washington that specialized in waltzes, polkas, and general easy listening. The quartet, made up of one elderly woman and three middle-aged males, featured Doris Crow (b. 1905, d. 1998) on piano, Quentin Ratliff (b. 1934) on saxophone, Leslie Welch (b. 1912, d. 1983) on accordion, and Harold Hendren (b. circa 1919) on drums.cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=THE|MOM|AND|DADS&sql=11:0pfoxqu5ld6e~T1 |title=The Mom and Dads Biography |accessdaymonth=02 February |accessyear=2008 |author=John Bush |year= |month= |work=Allmusic.com |publisher=Macrovision Corporation |quote= ] Most of their fame was in Canada, (where they first gained fame when a Disc Jockey at a high powered radio station in Great Falls, Montana played their first recording, The Ranger's Waltz which was composed by Quentin Ratliff, the group's Saxophonist and this broadcast carried into the Canadian province of Alberta), and also in Australia. Their peak was in the early 1970s when they appeared on music charts. The Mom and Dads were seen in a string of late-night television commercials in the United States during the mid-1980s.

Band Biography

Their LP album entitled "Presenting... The Mom and Dads" had a mini biography printed on the back of the album sleeve. The section claimed that the Mom and Dads were able to play nearly any type of then existing dance music. From turn of the century dance music such as the Three Step, to more modern sounds, such as country and western. Their biography states that all the band members had individually begun to play dance music between the ages of 12 and 14. Doris Crow and Leslie Welch had been playing together for over 22 years when the youngest member of the band, Quentin Ratliff joined them. The group finally became a four piece 7 years later when Harold Hendren, who had gotten his musical start in New Mexico, joined the band on drums.

Discography

ingles

*"The Ranger's Waltz" GNP
*"Amazing Grace" GNP-Crescendo
*"Anniversary Waltz" GNP-Crescendo
*"Auld Lang Syne" GNP
*"Baby Blue" GNP-Crescendo
*"Blue Canadian Rockies" Golden West Melodies
*"Blue Skirt Waltz" MCA
*"Cab Driver Foxtrot"
*"Jingle Bell Rock" (1972) MCA
*"Kentucky Waltz" GNP Crescendo
*"Love Is a Beautiful Song" MCA
*"Mom&Dad's Schottische"
*"Moonlight On The Manitoulin" MCA
*"My Blue Heaven" GNP-Crescendo
*"My Happiness" (1973) GNP-Crescendo
*"Quentin's E Flat Boogie" GNP Crescendo
*"Ragtime Annie P"
*"Rippling River Waltz" (1971) MCA
*"Silver Moon"
*"Skirts"
*"Somewhere My Love"
*"St Paul Waltz"
*"Wabash Cannonball"
*"Waltz Across Texas"
*"Waltz you Saved For Me"/"When The Saints Go Marching In"
*"Whispering"
*"White Silver Sands"
*"Your Cheatin' Heart"

Albums

*"The Mom and Dads" (1972)
*"The Mom and Dads Again" (1972) MCA
*"Merry Christmas" (1972) Crescendo
*"Dance with The Mom and Dads" (1974) GRT
*"Play Your Favorite Hymns" (1974) GRT
*"Best Of" (1974) GRT
*"In The Good Old Summertime" (1976)
*"Down The River Of Golden Dreams" (1976)
*"Meet The Mom and Dads" (1977) GRT
*"One Dozen Roses" (1977) GNP-Crescendo
*"Whispering Hope" (1977) GRT
*"22 Favorite Country Songs" (1977) GNP-Crescendo
*"Gratefully Yours" (1978) Interfusion
*"To Mom and Dad With Love" (1980) GNP
*"With Love From The Mom and Dads" (1980) Crescendo
*"Good Night Sweetheart" (1982) Crescendo
*"Dream With The Mom and Dads" GRT
*"Love Is a Beautiful Song" MCA
*"Love Letters In The Sand" Crescendo
*"Memories" Crescendo
*"Presenting"
*"Reminiscing with The Mom and Dads" GNP
*"Souvenirs" GNP-Crescendo
*"Thanks For The Memories" Quality
*"Blue Canadian Rockies" GNP
*"Blue Hawaii" MCA
*"The Very Best Of" MCA
*"18 Cand W Favorites"
*"20 Favorite Waltzes" WB/Teevee
*"Collection" (5 LP set) [http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/mom_dads/albums.jhtml The Mom & Dads | Albums | MTV ] ]

References