Meredith Willson was born in Mason City, Iowa on May 18, 1902. He went to Damrosch Institute of Musical Art (now known as Julliard) and studied flute and piccolo. In 1921 he was hired as the solo flutist with John Philip Sousa's band. He played with that band until 1923. From 1924-1929 he played the flute with the New York Philharmonic. He then moved on to be the musical director at NBC in California. Wilson became popular for his radio shows Carefree Carnival, Maxwell House Coffee Time, and The Big Show. He went on to score Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator and Hellman's The Little Foxes.
During WWII, Willson joined the army as a Major. He was also the Musical Director for the Armed Forces Radio Services. In 1951 he wrote the song "It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas."
On December 19, 1957 The Music Man opened to rave reviews. It ran for 1375 performances and won eight Tony Awards. The cast album also won the first Grammy Award ever presented. The movie version of the musical also won an Academy Award for Best Musical Score. Willson also wrote The Unsinkable Molly Brown in 1960 and Here's Love (a musical adaptation of Miracle on 34th Street) in 1963.
Willson died on June 15, 1984 at the age of eighty-two.
Willson had a love for band music and his home town of Mason City, so it makes sense that he wrote a musical about the two. Even though he did idealize the town, he did capture the innocence and the feel of the population of Mason City.
Ullrich, Kurt. "Iowa View: Willson's Music, Words Live on in Mason City." The Des Moines Register. N.p., 25 May 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
Van Blaricum, Michael. "Meredith Willson." Meredith Willson. N.p., 03 Dec. 2009. Web. 06 Feb. 2014.
During WWII, Willson joined the army as a Major. He was also the Musical Director for the Armed Forces Radio Services. In 1951 he wrote the song "It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas."
On December 19, 1957 The Music Man opened to rave reviews. It ran for 1375 performances and won eight Tony Awards. The cast album also won the first Grammy Award ever presented. The movie version of the musical also won an Academy Award for Best Musical Score. Willson also wrote The Unsinkable Molly Brown in 1960 and Here's Love (a musical adaptation of Miracle on 34th Street) in 1963.
Willson died on June 15, 1984 at the age of eighty-two.
Willson had a love for band music and his home town of Mason City, so it makes sense that he wrote a musical about the two. Even though he did idealize the town, he did capture the innocence and the feel of the population of Mason City.
Ullrich, Kurt. "Iowa View: Willson's Music, Words Live on in Mason City." The Des Moines Register. N.p., 25 May 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
Van Blaricum, Michael. "Meredith Willson." Meredith Willson. N.p., 03 Dec. 2009. Web. 06 Feb. 2014.