Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Happy birthday, Chip Davis, founder of Mannheim Steamroller!


Louis "Chip" Davis, Jr., born September 5, 1947 in Hamler, Ohio, is the founder of the new age group Mannheim Steamroller.  He studied music at the University of Michigan and worked with an ad agency in Omaha, Nebraska where he co-invented the fictional character C. W. McCall.  Remember Convoy?

Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller in 1974 to concentrate on fusing modern music and classical music techniques.  He released Fresh Aire in 1975.  In 1984, he released Mannheim Steamroller Christmas and changed the face of holiday music forever.   

I was introduced to Mannheim Steamroller at a Kappa Kappa Psi keg party, where Mere Image from Fresh Aire III was playing.  Fraternity bro Tammy Stewart told me about the group and so I went looking for their albums.  I couldn't find Fresh Aire III so I bought Fresh Aire IV which featured one of my favorite songs of all time, Dancing Flames.


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