Dudley "Big Tiny" Little, Jr. (August 31, 1930 – March 3, 2010)[1] was an American musician who appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1959.
[citation needed] He was featured in solo performances of old Tin Pan Alley tunes, but he also worked quietly as a member of the Welk ensemble, at the rear of the bandstand, playing background piano alongside singer-pianist Larry Hooper.
After his tenure on the show (he was replaced by Jo Ann Castle), Little went solo again; recording more than 45 albums and making guest appearances on several television programs over the years.
More recently, he played with Mary Lou Metzger, Jack Imel, Ralna English, Ava Barber and Dick Dale in the touring Live Lawrence Welk Show.
[1] "Big Tiny" Little's Brunswick recording of "Twelfth Street Rag", from the album Honky Tonk Piano (Side 1, track 4), was the theme for Joe Franklin's long-running TV show on New York City station WOR-TV (now WWOR-TV).