Mannheim Steamroller

Founded in Omaha, Nebraska in 1974 by composer and visionary Chip Davis, Mannheim Steamroller set out to create music that didn't exist yet. The group has since sold over 40 million albums, including a holiday catalog that has made them the best-selling Christmas music artist of all time. Davis grew up in a musical family, composed his first piece at age six, and played bassoon in the University of Michigan concert band before co-creating C.W. McCall, the fictional trucker whose 1975 single "Convoy" topped both the Country and Pop charts. He built American Gramaphone Records from the ground up and marketed his early album directy to Hi-Fi dealers and fans. His debut album, Fresh Aire, blended classical music with rock and synthesizers into something entirely new, which helped establish the genre of New Age music. In 1984, against the advice of industry insiders, Davis made a Christmas album. It sold over five million copies and changed the sound of the holidays forever. The Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Tour has run consecutively for over 40 years, making it the longest running consecutive tour in the music industry. Today, the tour runs with two troupes performing every holiday season. Mannheim Steamroller continues to evolve. The Ambience Series, a collection of nature-inspired recordings mixed in Dolby Atmos at Abbey Road Studios, represents the latest chapter in a catalog that has never stopped growing. Over 40 million albums. Five decades. Still going.