Editing Mannheim Steamroller (section)

== History ==
===Beginnings===
Mannheim Steamroller began as an alias for [[record producer]] and [[composer]] [[Chip Davis]]. The name "Mannheim Steamroller" comes from an 18th-century German musical technique, ''[[Mannheim roller]]'' ([[German language|German]]: ''Mannheimer Walze''), a crescendo passage having a rising melodic line over an [[ostinato]] [[bass line]], popularized by the [[Mannheim school]] of composition.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thegeorgiasun.com/2018/12/24/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-manheim-steamroller/|last=Chandler|first=Thom|date=December 24, 2018|title=5 Things You Didn't Know About Manheim Steamroller|publisher=Sun Publishing LLC}}</ref>

Before the fame of Steamroller, Davis had been best known for collaborating with his friend [[Bill Fries]] on the songs of the country music character "[[C. W. McCall]]", of "[[Convoy (song)|Convoy]]" fame. The song was based on the character created by Fries and music composed by Davis for a series of [[Clio Awards|Clio]] winning ads for Metz Baking Company for their Old Home Bread product.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Old Home Bread – Bozell |url=https://bozell.com/work/old-home-bread/ |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=bozell.com |language=en}}</ref> Davis was named 1976's Country Music Writer of the Year, a genre he is not fond of.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/20156945 |title=Contemporary musicians : profiles of the people in music |date=1989 |publisher=Gale Research |others=Michael L. LaBlanc, Gale Research Inc |isbn=0-8103-2211-0 |location=Detroit, Mich. |oclc=20156945}}</ref>

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]]'', Davis founded his own music label, [[American Gramaphone]]<ref name="Mount">{{cite journal |last1=Mount |first1=Ian |title=How I Did It: Chip Davis |journal=Inc |date=Dec 2004 |volume=26 |issue=13 |page=100}}</ref> (a play on the German classical record label [[Deutsche Grammophon]]), to release the album, which was published in 1975 under the [[pseudonym]] Mannheim Steamroller. ''[[Fresh Aire II]]'' was subsequently released in 1977, and ''[[Fresh Aire III]]'' 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]] 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]]'' based on the number 7, and ''[[Fresh Aire 8]]'' 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.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Flippo|first1=Chet |title=Xmas Set Steamrolls Chart For American Gramaphone |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Billboard-IDX/IDX/90s/1995/BB-1995-11-25-OCR-Page-0107.pdf |access-date=18 August 2016 |magazine=Billboard |date=25 November 1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pledges Down in PBS Drive |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/29/arts/pledges-down-in-pbs-drive.html |access-date=18 August 2016 |work=The New York Times |date=29 March 1986}}</ref> In 1987, Davis collaborated with guitarist/composer [[Mason Williams]] for the album ''[[Classical Gas (Mason Williams and Mannheim Steamroller album)|Classical Gas]]''. 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]]", 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]]'', featuring modern contemporary interpretations of Yuletide favorites. This was followed by ''[[A Fresh Aire Christmas]]'' in 1988.

Steamroller's Christmas music caught the ear of American [[talk radio]] host [[Rush Limbaugh]] when it was used as [[bumper music]] for [[American football|football]] games toward the end of the [[NFL]] season around the holidays.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2018/12/13/my-first-memory-of-mannheim-steamroller/|last=Limbaugh|first=Rush|date=December 13, 2018|title=My First Memory of Mannheim Steamroller|publisher=The Rush Limbaugh Show}}</ref> In turn, he began using it as bumper music on his radio show during the holiday season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mannheim-steamroller-christmas-music-makes-me-miss-rush-limbaugh/ar-AA1lQGaO|last=Batura|first=Paul|date=December 20, 2023|title=Mannheim Steamroller Christmas music makes me miss Rush Limbaugh|publisher=[[Fox News]]}}</ref> As a result, Manheim Steamroller found a whole new audience among conservatives, and became one of the most requested Christmas music artists of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://usnewsper.com/2023/12/rediscovering-the-magic-mannheim-steamroller-christmas-music-rush-limbaugh-and-the-timeless-joy-of-holiday-traditions/|title=Rediscovering the Magic: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Music, Rush Limbaugh, and the Timeless Joy of Holiday Traditions|website=US Newsper|date=December 21, 2023}}</ref>

Steamroller released ''[[Christmas in the Aire]]'' in 1995. Like its two predecessors, it showcased creative approaches to old carols, as well as some new carol-like compositions. At the end of 1997, they released a live album of Christmas music, ''[[Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live]]''. Their fourth all-new Christmas album, ''[[Christmas Extraordinaire]]'', was released in 2001. While Steamroller's third and fourth Christmas releases sold well, they fell 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 (album)|Christmas Song]]'' was released in late 2007 and features guest vocals by [[Johnny Mathis]] and [[Olivia Newton-John]] (on a remake of "Christmas Lullaby" from their third Christmas album). Steamroller 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 ''[[Christmas Symphony (Mannheim Steamroller album)|Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony]]'' with members of the [[Czech Philharmonic]] Orchestra.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-symphony-mw0002185652|title=Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony|website=[[AllMusic]]|publisher=Netaktion LLC}}</ref>

Manheim Steamroller's top nine best selling albums are all Christmas albums.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bestsellingalbums.org/artist/8304|title=Mannheim Steamroller Albums ranked by sales|website=Best Selling Albums.org}}</ref>

===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.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

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]] for yet another Christmas album called ''[[The Christmas Angel: A Family Story]]'', a mostly spoken-word recording scored with previously released material. The story was then turned into a figure skating production titled The Christmas Angel: A Story on Ice, starring [[Dorothy Hamill]] as the mother, [[Daniel Cloonan]] as the son, [[Elvis Stojko]] as the Gargon, and [[Tonia Kwiatkowski]] in the title role of the Angel. In 2003 they released a CD titled ''[[Halloween (Mannheim Steamroller)|Halloween]]''.

In addition to their ''Fresh Aire'' and Christmas collections, Steamroller has released: an album of [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] music (1999's ''[[Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse]]''); an album celebrating American heritage, (2003's ''[[American Spirit (album)|American Spirit]]'', which reunited Davis with C.W. McCall and featured a remake of "Convoy"); and an album [[Yellowstone: The Music of Nature]], for the [[PBS]] special of the same name, mixing prior Davis compositions and a series of classical pieces by Ottorino Respighi and others.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://store.mannheimsteamroller.com/products/yellowstone-the-music-of-nature | title=Yellowstone: The Music of Nature }}</ref>

During some holiday seasons, fans can listen to Chip narrate two special radio programs, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and “An American Christmas” on [[Kim Komando]]'s WestStar network. “12 Days” airs in the days leading up to Christmas and, on some stations, Christmas Eve.  “An American Christmas” airs on Christmas Eve on most stations. In 2024, this expanded to a full [[Internet radio]] channel on [[Sirius XM Radio]]'s online apps.!<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-28 |title=SiriusXM Unveils 2024 Slate Of Christmas/Holiday Music Channels Including New Jimmy Fallon Channel |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/285205/siriusxm-unveils-2024-slate-of-christmas-holiday-music-channels-including-new-jimmy-fallon-channel/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mannheimsteamroller.com/mannheim-steamroller-christmas-in-america-2/ | title=Chip Narrates Special Radio Programs! | date=7 December 2022 }}</ref>

In 2008, 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. He also decided to create two different lineups of the band, nicknamed the "red" and "green" touring companies which allows the band to reach more cities on their annual Christmas tour.<ref>[http://shop.mannheimsteamroller.com/content/Tour.htm 2008 Tour], Mannheim Steamroller, {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218161514/http://shop.mannheimsteamroller.com/content/Tour.htm |date=December 18, 2008 }}</ref>

The group appeared in the 2011 and 2013 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], playing their version of "[[Deck the Halls]]."

A new album composed and performed in the design of the [[Fresh Aire]] series, ''[[Exotic Spaces]]'', was set for release in March 2018.<ref name="spokesman_2017-11-17">{{cite web|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/nov/17/mannheim-steamroller-adding-fresh-take-to-holiday-/#/0 |title=Mannheim Steamroller adding fresh take to holiday concerts |publisher=The Spokesman-Review |date=2017-11-17}}</ref> The album features songs that were inspired by famous – and exotic – sites, such as Egypt's pyramids and the Taj Mahal.<ref name="spokesman_2017-11-17"/> Instrumentation comes from exotic and ethnic instruments mixed with the [[drums]], [[harpsichord]], and [[synthesizers]]. The album was officially released in September 2019, prior to the 2019 Christmas tour.