Chip Davis
Encyclopedia
Louis F. "Chip" Davis, Jr. (born November 15, 1947 in Hamler, Ohio
) is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller
.
He also wrote the music for C.W. McCall, including the 1975 hit "Convoy
".
music school, specializing in bassoon
and percussion.
After touring with the Norman Luboff Choir, he took a job with an Omaha, Nebraska
advertising agency writing jingle
s. These included spots for a local bakery featuring the fictional trucker C. W. McCall
. The spots were co-written with advertising writer William Fries, who became the voice of McCall. The spots were so popular, they were persuaded to begin writing non-advertising songs featuring McCall. The most famous of these is the 1975 "Convoy". The duo released a total of five albums between 1974 and 1979. Davis was named ASCAP Country Music Writer of the Year in 1976. During these early years, some of Davis' compositions that fell into the category of what was known as "New Age Music" were featured in a concert by the Voices of Mel Olson in the Witherspoon Hall of Joslyn Art Museum
, Omaha
, Nebraska
, USA, with Davis directing the community chorale for those songs.
Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller
in 1974 to showcase his interest in fusing modern popular and classical techniques. The first Fresh Aire
album was released shortly after. It was turned down by major record labels, so Davis founded American Gramaphone
to release; this has been the label for all subsequent Mannheim Steamroller releases. A total of eight Fresh Aire albums were released, concluding with Fresh Aire 8
in 2000. Fresh Aire 7
was awarded the Grammy Award
for Best New Age Recording in 1990.
Mannheim Steamroller released Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
in 1984, and the group's subsequent Christmas music
albums have sold tens of millions of copies and become among the most popular recordings in that genre.
Davis is divorced and has three children, Kelly, Evan and Elyse living in Omaha with their mother Trisha. He continues to remain President and CEO of American Gramaphone Records.
Hamler, Ohio
Hamler is a village in Henry County, Ohio, United States. The population was 650 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1875 by John Hamler, Hamler is a rural farming community in Northwest Ohio about 40 miles southwest of Toledo, Ohio...
) is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller is an American music group founded by Chip Davis and Jackson Berkey, known primarily for its modern recordings of Christmas music. The group has sold 28 million albums in the U.S. alone.-Beginnings:...
.
He also wrote the music for C.W. McCall, including the 1975 hit "Convoy
Convoy (song)
"Convoy" is a 1975 novelty song performed by C. W. McCall that became a number-one song on both the country and pop charts in the US. Written by McCall and Chip Davis, the song spent six weeks at number one on the country charts and one week at number one on the pop charts...
".
Biography
Louis F. Davis was born in September 5, 1947 in Hamler, Ohio and his family moved to Sylvania, Ohio when he was two. He began piano lessons at age 4 and had composed his first piece of music at age 6. He graduated from Sylvania High School and went on to graduate from the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
music school, specializing in bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
and percussion.
After touring with the Norman Luboff Choir, he took a job with an Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
advertising agency writing jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s. These included spots for a local bakery featuring the fictional trucker C. W. McCall
C. W. McCall
C. W. McCall is the pseudonym of William Dale Fries, Jr. , an American singer, activist and politician known for his truck-themed outlaw country songs.-Biography:...
. The spots were co-written with advertising writer William Fries, who became the voice of McCall. The spots were so popular, they were persuaded to begin writing non-advertising songs featuring McCall. The most famous of these is the 1975 "Convoy". The duo released a total of five albums between 1974 and 1979. Davis was named ASCAP Country Music Writer of the Year in 1976. During these early years, some of Davis' compositions that fell into the category of what was known as "New Age Music" were featured in a concert by the Voices of Mel Olson in the Witherspoon Hall of Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
The Joslyn Art Museum is the principal fine arts museum in the state of Nebraska, United States of America. Located in Omaha, it is the only museum in the state with a comprehensive permanent collection...
, Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, USA, with Davis directing the community chorale for those songs.
Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller is an American music group founded by Chip Davis and Jackson Berkey, known primarily for its modern recordings of Christmas music. The group has sold 28 million albums in the U.S. alone.-Beginnings:...
in 1974 to showcase his interest in fusing modern popular and classical techniques. The first Fresh Aire
Fresh Aire
Fresh Aire was the first album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1975. It is also the title of one track on the album. It was followed by seven additional albums in the Fresh Aire series. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based...
album was released shortly after. It was turned down by major record labels, so Davis founded American Gramaphone
American Gramaphone
American Gramaphone is an American record company, and was formed in 1974 by Chip Davis. It is best-known for releasing Davis' solo and Mannheim Steamroller albums...
to release; this has been the label for all subsequent Mannheim Steamroller releases. A total of eight Fresh Aire albums were released, concluding with Fresh Aire 8
Fresh Aire 8
Fresh Aire 8 is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 2000. It is the final album in the Fresh Aire series and is based on the topic of infinity.-Track listing:#"Main Titles" – 2:43#"Day Party" – 3:09#"Interlude 8" – 3:12...
in 2000. Fresh Aire 7
Fresh Aire 7
Fresh Aire 7 was the seventh album in new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller's Fresh Aire series. The album was originally released in 1990 and peaked at #77 on the Billboard album chart in December of that year. Its theme is based on the number seven...
was awarded the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best New Age Recording in 1990.
Mannheim Steamroller released Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas was the first Christmas music album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The group has released five subsequent Christmas studio albums, most recently Christmasville in October 2008...
in 1984, and the group's subsequent Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
albums have sold tens of millions of copies and become among the most popular recordings in that genre.
Davis is divorced and has three children, Kelly, Evan and Elyse living in Omaha with their mother Trisha. He continues to remain President and CEO of American Gramaphone Records.
External links
- Biography from his record label's website
- Profile in Yahoo Business
- [ Biography in allmusic.com]