'Lawrence Welk Show' singer Guy Hovis dies at 84

Guy Hovis, the longtime performer cherished by fans of The Lawrence Welk Show, has died at the age of 84.

His former wife and singing partner, Ralna English, confirmed the news in a heartfelt Facebook post.

She shared that Hovis passed away peacefully on January 22 after several weeks in the hospital.

“As it has for me, this will come as a shock to many of you,” the 83-year-old began the emotional post.

“Guy has been in the hospital for several weeks. I spoke briefly with him on Monday and was deeply concerned.”

“He took a turn for the worse and it hurts me to tell you, but he died peacefully last night,” she wrote. “Needless to say, at this time we are all devastated and simply trying to cope with this tragic news.”

Hovis and English first appeared together on the show during a Christmas special in 1969.

Their chemistry was so well received that host Lawrence Welk invited them back, eventually making them regulars.

The husband-and-wife team became one of the program’s most popular acts, performing together for 12 years until 1982.

Though they divorced in 1984, the pair remained close and continued to perform together for decades.

“Guy and I have a ball working together,” English once said. “We just love being on stage performing together.”

The Lennon Sisters, fellow stars of The Lawrence Welk Show, remembered Hovis as “an amazing talented singer with a voice that was beyond perfection” and “a very kind true loyal friend.”

Born Guy Lee Hovis Jr. in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1941, Hovis began singing in church at age five.

Over his career, he recorded 15 albums and later returned to Mississippi, where he served as state director for former U.S. Senator Trent Lott from 1990 to 2007.

He also performed Let the Eagle Soar at President George W. Bush’s inauguration in 2005, cementing his place in American cultural history.