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Mannheim Steamroller
The alias of Chip Davis, the composer, Mannheim Steamroller was the forerunner of neo-classical electronic music. He was the driving force behind the New Age phenomenon. Davis was born in Sylvania, Ohio. His father was a high school music teacher and his mother was a
trombonist playing with Phil Spitalny's All Girl Orchestra. His first music teacher was his grandmother, giving the child his first piano lessons at four. Two years later, Chip Davis composed his first piece which was a four-part chorale. The child had written it in honor of his dog. Later, he joined a boys' choir. While attending the University of Michigan, he played bassoon as part of the school's concert band. In 1969, Davis was selected to tour with the Norman Luboff Choir. He stayed with the group for five years and performed everything from pop to classical. He came back to Sylvania as a music teacher at a local junior high school. He used to adapt classical trends to contemporary harmonies and rhythms. But listeners comprised of students only.
Chip Davis left teaching a little later and started conducting and arranging an Omaha, Nebraska production of Hair. Then he moved to writing advertising jingles. Davis went back to the classical adaptations he'd earlier composed as a teacher. He entered the studio to record what he
dubbed as "18th century classical rock." This was classical music played on electric bass and synthesizers. The resulting album was titled Fresh Aire. But no label would touch it. So he went on and founded his own company in 1974, named American Gramaphone. He then created a
fictitious band Mannheim Steamroller to promote the project still better. The LP became was smash hit among audiophiles.
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In 1984, Davis released Mannheim Steamroller Christmas. It sold over five million copies on the popularity of a Top 40 Adult Contemporary rendition of "Deck the Halls." Four years later, it was followed by A Fresh Aire Christmas which became another unqualified hit. 1986 saw Saving 
