Mannheim Steamroller
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Mannheim Steamroller is an American
neoclassical new-age music Within the broad movement of new-age music, neoclassical new-age music is influenced by and sometimes also based upon baroque or classical music, especially in terms of melody and composition. The artist may offer a modern arrangement of a work by ...
ensemble founded and directed by percussionist/composer
Chip Davis Louis F. "Chip" Davis Jr. (born September 5, 1947 in Hamler, Ohio) is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller. Davis composed the music for several C. W. McCall albums, including the hit 1975 song "Convoy". He has also wri ...
in 1974. The group is known primarily for its ''
Fresh Aire ''Fresh Aire'' is the first album by new-age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. It was originally released in 1975. Background The record was followed by seven additional albums in the ''Fresh Aire'' series. Each of the first four Fresh Aire a ...
'' series of albums, which blend classical music with elements of
new age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars conside ...
and rock, and for its modern recordings of
Christmas music Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...
. The group has sold 28 million albums in the U.S. alone.


History


Beginnings

Mannheim Steamroller began as an alias for
record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
and
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...
Chip Davis Louis F. "Chip" Davis Jr. (born September 5, 1947 in Hamler, Ohio) is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller. Davis composed the music for several C. W. McCall albums, including the hit 1975 song "Convoy". He has also wri ...
. The name "Mannheim Steamroller" comes from an 18th-century German musical technique, '' Mannheim roller'' (
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
: ''Mannheimer Walze''), a crescendo passage having a rising melodic line over an
ostinato In music, an ostinato (; derived from Italian word for ''stubborn'', compare English ''obstinate'') is a motif or phrase that persistently repeats in the same musical voice, frequently in the same pitch. Well-known ostinato-based pieces include ...
bass line Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, dub and electronic, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played (in jazz and some ...
, popularized by the Mannheim school of composition. Before the fame of Steamroller, Davis had been best known for collaborating with his friend
Bill Fries William Dale Fries Jr. (November 15, 1928 – April 1, 2022) was an American advertising executive and spoken word artist who won several Clio Awards for his advertising campaigns. He is best known for his character C. W. McCall, a truck-driv ...
on the songs of the country music character "
C. W. McCall William Dale Fries Jr. (November 15, 1928 – April 1, 2022) was an American advertising executive and spoken word artist who won several Clio Awards for his advertising campaigns. He is best known for his character C. W. McCall, a truck-drivi ...
", of "
Convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
" fame. The song was based on the character created by Fries and music composed by Davis for a series of
Clio In Greek mythology, Clio ( , ; el, Κλειώ), also spelled Kleio, is the muse of history, or in a few mythological accounts, the muse of lyre playing. Etymology Clio's name is etymologically derived from the Greek root κλέω/κλεί ...
winning ads for Metz Baking Company for their Old Home Bread product. Davis was named Country Music Writer of the Year in 1976, a genre he is not fond of. Even before the height of McCall's popularity, Davis produced an unusual album of classical music performed entirely by Davis and musical collaborator and keyboardist Jackson Berkey, using electric bass (played by Eric Hansen) and synthesizers.


Fresh Aire and American Gramaphone

Since no major label would handle the distribution of
Fresh Aire ''Fresh Aire'' is the first album by new-age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. It was originally released in 1975. Background The record was followed by seven additional albums in the ''Fresh Aire'' series. Each of the first four Fresh Aire a ...
, Davis founded his own music label,
American Gramaphone American Gramaphone is an American record company based in Omaha, Nebraska. It is best known for releasing Chip Davis' new age solo and Mannheim Steamroller albums. History American Gramaphone was formed in 1974 by Chip Davis. American Gra ...
(a play on the classical record label
Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...
), to release the album, which was published in 1975 under the
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
Mannheim Steamroller. ''
Fresh Aire II ''Fresh Aire II'' is the second album that new-age musical group Mannheim Steamroller originally released in 1977. Each of the first four ''Fresh Aire'' albums is based on a season; ''Fresh Aire II''s theme is fall. ''Fresh Aire II'' is unique in ...
'' was subsequently released in 1977, and ''
Fresh Aire III ''Fresh Aire III'' is the third album by the new-age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. It was originally released in 1979 on American Gramaphone. Each of the first four ''Fresh Aire'' albums is based on a season; ''Fresh Aire III''s theme is sum ...
'' was released in 1979. The first four ''Fresh Aire'' albums constituted an exploration of the four seasons, with ''Fresh Aire'' being spring, ''Fresh Aire II'' being fall, ''Fresh Aire III'' being summer, and '' Fresh Aire IV'' being winter. All four of these albums maintained the blend of baroque classical music, light jazz, and rock and featured Jackson Berkey's virtuosic keyboard work. Davis and Berkey used whatever instrument seemed appropriate to the piece, using a
toy piano The toy piano, also known as the ''kinderklavier'' (child's keyboard), is a small piano-like musical instrument. Most modern toy pianos use round metal rods, as opposed to strings in a regular piano, to produce sound. The U.S. Library of Congress ...
on one piece and a full pipe organ on another, with copious interleaving of piano and harpsichord. In 1981 Davis released ''Fresh Aire Interludes'', an album that compiled Berkey's ten piano interludes from the first four ''Fresh Aire'' albums. Davis then moved into exploring some other themes, with '' Fresh Aire V'' subtitled "To the Moon," '' Fresh Aire VI'' exploring Greek mythology, ''
Fresh Aire 7 ''Fresh Aire 7'' was the seventh album in New-age music, new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller's ''Fresh Aire'' series. The album was originally released in 1990 and peaked at #77 on the Billboard album chart in December of that year. Its t ...
'' based on the number 7, and ''
Fresh Aire 8 ''Fresh Aire 8'' is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 2000. It is the final album in the ''Fresh Aire'' series and is based on the topic of infinity, with each track or suite representing a different "aspect of infinity." The tracks' t ...
'' based on the theme of infinity. A live tour of the early albums featured a prominent light show and multimedia components, along with spoken poetry by Almeda Berkey. While the music was slightly different from the album versions, it was played in lockstep at each show, as it had to coordinate the live musicians with recorded tracks of strings and other orchestral parts. In 1986, Mannheim Steamroller released music composed for a PBS special called '' Saving the Wildlife'', which featured one track from ''Fresh Aire VI'' and twelve new tracks. In 1987, Davis collaborated with guitarist/composer
Mason Williams Mason Douglas Williams (born August 24, 1938) is an American classical guitarist, composer, singer, writer, comedian, and poet, best known for his 1968 instrumental "Classical Gas" and for his work as a comedy writer on ''The Smothers Brothers ...
for the album ''
Classical Gas "Classical Gas" is an instrumental musical piece composed and originally performed by American guitarist Mason Williams with instrumental backing by members of the Wrecking Crew. Originally released in 1968 on the album ''The Mason Williams Ph ...
''. The music was composed entirely by Williams but produced and arranged by Davis. The album opens with a remake of Williams' 1968 instrumental "
Classical Gas "Classical Gas" is an instrumental musical piece composed and originally performed by American guitarist Mason Williams with instrumental backing by members of the Wrecking Crew. Originally released in 1968 on the album ''The Mason Williams Ph ...
", which used the original arrangement.


Christmas music success

Steamroller found its greatest fame beginning in 1984 when Davis released his first holiday album, ''
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas ''Christmas'' (also known as ''Mannheim Steamroller Christmas'') is the first Christmas music, Christmas album and sixth studio album released by American musical group Mannheim Steamroller. It was the band's first album to chart on the Billboar ...
'', featuring modern contemporary interpretations of Yuletide favorites. This was followed by '' A Fresh Aire Christmas'' (1988) and '' Christmas in the Aire'' (1995), which showcased creative approaches to old carols, as well as some new carol-like compositions. Steamroller had now become one of the most requested Christmas music artists of all time, in part by adopting a very radio-friendly approach. At the end of 1997, they released a live album of Christmas music, ''
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live ''Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live'' is Mannheim Steamroller's fourth Christmas album overall and was first released in 1997. It is a recorded live performance which includes variations on the arranged tracks featured in previous Steamroller ...
''. Their fourth all-new Christmas album, ''
Christmas Extraordinaire ''Christmas Extraordinaire'' is Mannheim Steamroller's sixth Christmas album overall and the group's fourth Christmas studio album. The album was originally released in 2001. The song "O Tannenbaum" features a lead vocal by Johnny Mathis. Five ...
'', was released in 2001. However, sales of Steamroller's third and fourth Christmas releases fell far short of the sales of ''Christmas'' and ''A Fresh Aire Christmas''. '' Christmas Celebration'', a compilation of favorite tracks from the previous studio albums (with one new song), was released in 2004. The studio album '' Christmas Song'' was released in late 2007 and features guest vocals by
Johnny Mathis John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standard music, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum s ...
and
Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one singles on the ...
, but co-founder Jackson Berkey is absent from the lineup. The CD ''Christmasville'' was released in 2008. Their next release was a 25th anniversary Christmas box set consisting of previously released material, and in 2011 they released '' Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony'' with members of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.


Other work

Musically, as the 1990s progressed, Davis moved into the mainstream of "progressive rock" music with a heavier reliance on synthesized instruments and less humor. Titles like "Small Wooden Bach'ses" from Fresh Aire III were not seen, nor mechanisms like the creative use of a cricket on the same album or the Gregorian chant on Fresh Aire II. Davis's music became closer to the "light jazz" style that gained prominence in the 1990s, especially with the Day Parts albums. Steamroller developed a full-length theatrical motion picture based on their Christmas albums, but the plans for production fell through. Instead, the following year, they collaborated with
Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one singles on the ...
for yet another Christmas album called '' The Christmas Angel: A Family Story'', a mostly spoken-word recording scored with previously released material. In 2003 they released a CD titled ''
Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
''. In addition to their ''Fresh Aire'' and Christmas collections, Steamroller has released: an album of
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
music (1999's '' Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse''); an album celebrating American heritage, (2003's '' American Spirit'', which reunited Chip Davis with C.W. McCall and featured a remake of "Convoy"); and an album ''Yellowstone'', mixing prior Davis compositions and a series of classical pieces by Ottorino Respighi and others. ''Mannheim Steamroller's An American Christmas'' is a 12-hour nationally broadcast special radio program of music and narrated stories, heard on over 250 stations across the United States. The program is hosted by the group's founder
Chip Davis Louis F. "Chip" Davis Jr. (born September 5, 1947 in Hamler, Ohio) is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller. Davis composed the music for several C. W. McCall albums, including the hit 1975 song "Convoy". He has also wri ...
and is produced and distributed each year by
WestStar TalkRadio Network Kimberly Ann Komando (born 1967) is the host of two daily radio shows and one weekend radio show about consumer technology. On her weekly call-in show, she provides advice about technology gadgets, websites, smartphone apps, and internet security. ...
. In 2008, Chip Davis underwent surgery, which prevented him from touring or performing with the band. Rather than ultimately force the tour to stop while he recovered, Davis opted to hire additional musicians to replace him temporarily. He also decided to create two different lineups of the band, nicknamed the "red" and "green" touring companies.2008 Tour
Mannheim Steamroller, The group appeared in the 2011 and 2013
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with ...
, playing their version of "
Deck the Halls "Deck the Hall” is a traditional Christmas carol. The melody is Welsh, dating back to the sixteenth century, and belongs to a winter carol, "Nos Galan", while the English lyrics, written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant, date to 1862. ...
." A new album composed and performed in the design of the
Fresh Aire ''Fresh Aire'' is the first album by new-age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. It was originally released in 1975. Background The record was followed by seven additional albums in the ''Fresh Aire'' series. Each of the first four Fresh Aire a ...
series,
Exotic Spaces Exotic may refer to: Mathematics and physics * Exotic R4, a differentiable 4-manifold, homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the Euclidean space R4 *Exotic sphere, a differentiable ''n''-manifold, homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the ordinar ...
, was set for release in March 2018. The album features songs that were inspired by famous – and exotic – sites, such as Egypt's pyramids and the Taj Mahal. Instrumentation comes from exotic and ethnic instruments mixed with the
drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
,
harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
, and
synthesizers A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
. The album was officially released in September 2019, prior to the 2019 Christmas tour.


Discography


Fresh Aire series albums


Christmas albums


Chip Davis – Christmas albums


Halloween albums


Ambience series albums


Chip Davis – Day Parts series and solo albums


Other albums

1 ''Billboard''s Top New Age Albums chart became the New Age Albums chart in June 2009. 2 ''Billboard''s Top Holiday Albums chart became the Holiday Albums chart in June 2009.


See also

* Hooked on Classics *
List of ambient music artists This is a list of ambient music artists. This includes artists who have either been very important to the genre or have had a considerable amount of exposure (such as those who have been on a major label). This list does not include little-known ...
*
List of best-selling music artists The following list of best-selling music artists includes those music acts from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. This information cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization t ...
*
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to ...


References


External links

* {{Authority control American classical music groups Musical groups from Omaha, Nebraska Musical groups established in 1974