Natalie Nevins

Early life

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Nevins began singing when she was five and later took flute and piano lessons. She graduated from Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls in Hunting Park and later attended Chestnut Hill College and the University of Pennsylvania.

Singing career

In 1950, she had her own television program on WCAU titled Notes From Natalie. Two years later, she was asked by Ed Sullivan to appear on his show after meeting him at a benefit in Philadelphia.

In 1965, she was hired by Lawrence Welk as a vocalist on his weekly television program, where her pitch perfect singing voice earned Natalie nationwide fans and admirers. Nevins was hired after she sang to him over the phone after the suggestion of her doctor, of which Welk was among the patients. In addition to solo numbers, she sang in duets with Jimmy Roberts and Joe Feeney plus also recorded a solo album titled Natalie Nevins Sings I Believe & Other Inspirational Songs which was released by Ranwood Records in 1968.

Nevins was fired from the Welk organization in 1970 after missing a Spokane, Washington concert appearance and lied about her illness. She tried to bake blueberry muffins for Welk's alumni but was blocked by armed security guards. (there is a rumor that Welk preferred German Chocolate Cake.)

Nevins briefly as an assistant on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and later moved back to Philadelphia to care for her mother and to be near her brother, Reverend John Nevins, a Roman Catholic priest.

Death

Natalie Nevins died on August 23, 2010 from complications from hip surgery at St. Mary's Medical Center in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.