Trailblazer Davis brings Steamroller to Aladdin

Randy Matin

Friday, Dec. 7, 2001 | 8:45 a.m.

To say that everything Chip Davis touches turns to gold would be a vast understatement.

Among his many achievements, Davis is credited as the man who revitalized the Christmas music industry. Beginning in 1984 Davis has sold more than 18 million units combined of "A Fresh Aire Christmas," "Christmas in the Air," "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live," and 1998's platinum "The Christmas Angel: A Family Story" (narrated by Davis and Olivia Newton-John).

Joining that line comes the latest offering: Mannheim Steamroller's "Christmas Extraordinaire" featuring a guest appearance by Johnny Mathis. The show of the same name will be performed Saturday at the Aladdin.

"Everyone told me it wouldn't work," Davis said by telephone from his 100-acre farm near Omaha, Neb. "The distributors were afraid that putting out a Christmas album would signal to fans that we were out of ideas for Fresh Aire. But 'A Fresh Aire Christmas' sold well, and the year after it did even better."

Born Louis Davis Jr. to a family of musicians in rural Ohio, Davis began life as a composer at age 6 when he wrote a four-part chorale work dedicated to his dog. He later graduated as a classically trained bassoonist from the University of Michigan, toured as a member of the Norman Luboff Choir, taught music at the junior high level, and wrote ad jingles.

Davis, now 53, hit paydirt with the jingle for Old Home Bread, which featured the fictional truckdriver C.W. McCall and his waitress girlfriend Mavis at the Old Home Filler Up. The spot became so popular that it won Davis a record contract. As McCall, Davis recorded the hit "Convoy" in 1975 that sold 10 million copies.

Meanwhile Davis had launched a new band, Mann- heim Steamroller, whichcombined loud, splashy, area rock with 18th-century classical music and tons of dynamic sound effects. Turned down by major record companies, Davis released "Fresh Aire" on his own American Gramaphone label. Then state-of-the-art the discs, pressed on 130 grams of "virgin vinyl," were marketed to audiophiles exclusively through high-end consumer electronics retail stores.

By word of mouth "Fresh Aire" became the high-end industry standard demo disc, and the hi-fi salesman's best friend because it made even the crummiest boom box sound phenomenal. It also sold millions of copies and spawned a continuing series of multiplatinum "Fresh Aire" albums.

As successful as the Fresh Aire series has been, so far, the Christmas albums have done ever better. This also means an increased demand for tickets for the group's Christmas shows has forced Davis to upsize and play arenas.

Said Davis: "From the minute you walk in the door you are part of the show. The arena is decked with garland and there is a 6,000-square-foot Christmas village with a moving train. And we are encouraging parents to bring cameras and take pictures of their kids with our costumed characters."

Courtesy of Davis' new movie production division, CineAire, part of the show will feature a 20-minute, $2 million film that transports the viewer back to a Christmas feast in 1490, when Davis says, "many of the carols we know and love today were invented."

The film, with sleigh bells, whooshing winds, carols of birds and the sounds of music boxes, is, of course, presented in a state-of-the-art surround sound environment and mixed by Davis. It is also something of a teaser for "Fresh Aire VIII" which he says will be the last in the series.