Thomas Harold Netherton Jr. was a songwriter and singer from the United States. He was an American vocalist best known for his regular appearances on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1973 to 1982.
Early Life
On January 11, 1947, Netherton was born in Munich, Germany, while his father, a US Army lieutenant, was transferred there. Netherton was the eldest of four children. Because of his father’s Army duty, his family traveled a lot. As a result, the Netherton relocated to Bloomington, Minnesota, in 1961.
After joining the Army during the Vietnam War, Netherton was assigned to Panama as a 2nd Lieutenant. He also tried singing and performing with Army and Air Force orchestras. Netherton became a born-again Christian after hearing a sermon at a Baptist church in Panama.
He spent a year after his discharge from the Army at the Bethany Fellowship Missionary Training Center in Bloomington. When given a choice between missionary service and an entertainment career, Netherton chose to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Pat Boone, and become a Christian singer.
Click here to read about American celebrity spouse Taylor Eileen Smith.
Career
In 1973, Tom Netherton joined the cast of Lawrence Welk’s show. Harold and Sheila Schafer, owners of a North Dakota theater where Netherton had been performing, suggested him to Welk, and he was admitted into Welk’s company of entertainers.
From 1973 to 1982, Netherton was a regular on Lawrence Welk’s show. He participated in “The Dating Game” in 1975, forcing him to choose between three bachelorettes. He published his autobiography, “In The Morning of My Life.” in 1979,
Netherton recorded Christian and secular music CDs during and after his stint on the Lawrence Welk show and his long engagement with the show.
He toured and performed around the United States with Lawrence Welk and appeared in theater musical productions of Oklahoma! and Carousel.
In addition, he starred in television advertisements for Rose Milk skin care lotion and Nabisco’s Triscuits crackers in the 1970s and 1980s. Pat Robertson’s The 700 Club, Robert Schuller’s The Hour of Power, and Billy Graham’s evangelical crusades included Netherton.
Lawrence Welk’s Show
Following his military discharge, he decided to pursue a career as a Christian musician. He began touring with gospel artists as a result.
During the summer of 1973, he appeared in the cast of Medora Musical, a musical revue. Lawrence Welk was presented to him at a golf club in Bismarck by Sheila Schafer, who had been enthralled by his musical and entertainment ability.
Personal Life & Wife
Netherton had been living in Goshen, Indiana, since late 2007, where he entertained local seniors at Greencroft Senior Center and performed for Christmas festivities.
Netherton was a bachelor who had never married. Also, Netherton was a single man who had never married. He might have been gay, but there was no way of knowing.
Tom Netherton’s Cause Of Death
On January 7, 2018, Netherton died of pneumonia in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 71 years old when he died.
According to his brother-in-law Bruce Koblish’s Facebook post, Netherton contracted the illness, which worsened to pneumonia. Netherton went to the doctor, according to Koblish, but his illness had worsened to the point where he couldn’t recover.
Click here to read about Elva Josephson.
Tom Netherton’s Net Worth
According to multiple social media publications, Tom Netherton’s net worth is projected to be above USD 85 million. Also, his vast fortune stemmed from a successful career as a singer and actor.
Please stay tuned with I Am Biography to get the latest updates on your favorite stars.
