Above the Northern Lights by Mannheim Steamroller
Featured vocalist, Gene Nery
Up above the Northern Lights on Christmas night. Shimmering above the clouds, dreams take flight. Legends say that spirts dance across the sky. Children sing and sleigh bells ring, reindeer fly ..
Magic fills the air, spirits everywhere. This is Christmas night. Let your dreams take flight ..
Up above the Northern Lights on Christmas night. Traveling through space and time. Endless light. You and I, beneath the skies, behold the light. Quietly, the mystery fills the night ..
Northern Lights seen in Minnesota September 2020
Back in the 70s, Chip Davis was a classically-trained musician working in the advertising world. In his spare time, he was busy inventing a new style of music. When approached, the big record labels were intrigued, but confused by this new style; it wasn't jazz, it wasn't really rock, it wasn't precisely classical. So, in 1975 Chip founded his own company and American Gramaphone quickly grew to be the largest independent record label in the country. In order to increase exposure to his music, Chip started a new band he called Mannheim Steamroller and started touring the world.
Fast forward 40 years and you'll find the same dynamic at work at American Gramaphone. Today, Mannheim Steamroller is a group comprised of the most talented and versatile musicians. The band is an ever-changing consortium of musicians, technicans and engineers using state-of-the-art equipment to create Mannheim Steamroller's signature and unique sound. The group can vary in size from one player, to a small ensemble, to an entire symphony.
Mannheim Steamroller is credited with revitalizing the holiday music genre with the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas in 1984. In all, Mannheim Steamroller has sold more than 30 million albums, making it the most popular Christmas music act in history! 2019 marked the 35th anniversary of the Mannheim Streamroller Christmas Tour making it the longest running consecutive tour in the music industry. The hugely successful tour requires two traveling troupes performing concerts in an average of 90 cities annually. A third troupe highlights the holiday season at Universal Orlando Resort. Hopefully, Mannheim Steamroller will come to your area or to a city near you .. in 2021.
I, personally, have the album, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas and have experienced them, live in concert. With the album Chip writes these heartfelt words ..
"How can I thank you 25 times over? We have made a wonderful life long career all because of your constant support of my music and the incredible performances of Mannheim Steamroller. This 25 Year Collection is a collection of 25 cuts representing the 25 years of the Christmas music of Mannheim Steamroller. These are favorites of mine from each album. I get to pick! You get to play! Enjoy."
Chip Davis, producer, arranger and composer
The man behind Mannheim was born Louis F. Davis, Jr. in the small town of Hamler, Ohio (Pop. 500) near Toledo, the son of a family whom music and "a sensitivity to nature" were integral. Davis began his musical training at age 4 with his grandmother as his first piano teacher. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1969 with mastery in bassoon and percussion before taking on a job in 1972 at the ad agency, Bozell & Jacobs in Omaha, Nebraska. He made a living at the ad agency writing jingles while unsuccessfully trying to interest record companies in a demonstration tape of his work.
