Neil LeVang

        Born on January 3, 1932 LeVang is an American born musician who is best known from the Lawrence Welk television show. His instruments are the guitar and the banjo. Born in Adams, North Dakota, a farmer's son of Swedish and Norwegian descent, he got his start playing the banjo and soon added guitar and violin. He began playing county fairs, performing with several different bands by the time he was fifteen as well as being a morning disc jockey for a Seattle radio station. In 1948, Neil was appearing with Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage, Jimmy Wakely and several other country swing bands.
       In 1959, he was hired as a temporary guitar and banjo player on the Lawrence Welk Show when Buddy Merrill left to serve in the US Army. Welk was so pleased with his ability, that he was hired on a permanent basis when Buddy completed his tour of duty in 1961. Neil stayed with the Welk Band until its final show in 1982. That same year, at the Country Music Awards he was nominated for best artist on a Speciality Instrument, the mandolin.
        He was also an accomplished studio musician, playing on several records for artists such as Glen Campbell, Frank Zappa, Bobby Darin, Bobbi Gentry, David Clayton Thomas, Neil Hefti's "Batman Theme", Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Neil Diamond and Noel Boggs.