S2:E8 From the Motor City to Tinsel Town

On Ep. 8 we continue our conversation about Patti’s brother, Michael (Mickey) Quatro. Patti discusses how her father’s dream of being a musician or a band leader was coming to fruition through Mickey who was hired to be on the Lawrence Welk show at the age of fifteen. The stint lasted two years and was a pivotal moment for the Quatros, because they recognized that all the hard work and dedication to music was starting to pay off. For Patti, seeing her pesky brother on T.V. was transformative for her own outlook on music and as a musician, but also seeing the response from others. On the night of Mickey’s debut on Welk, Patti remembers all the Detroit press at their house, and was struck by the attention and adoration her brother was receiving. We close the episode with Mickey’s rendition of “12th Street Rag” that he auditioned and played on the Lawrence Welk show.