There were a couple of late-60s bands whose heavy sounding names fit perfectly with their sound — Iron Butterfly, followed by Led Zeppelin — but this pattern couldn't be said of a band who, starting in1975, unleashed a new sound under the moniker Mannheim Steamroller. And while only their name sounds heavy, Mannheim Steamroller can certainly lay claim to some crushing album sales. If you are new to the Mannheim Steamroller phenomenon, they will be appearing in a special series of concerts in three cities this October. Founder and composer Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller will take the stage today in Joliet, IL, Friday Oct. 5 in Ames, IA and Sunday Oct. 7 in Rochester, MN, with a concert called "Music of the Spheres," designed to celebrate America's passion for space exploration. These first three concerts are a prelude to more shows in 2008.

The creative impetus behind this project started in 2006 when NASA invited Chip Davis and the Mannheim Steamroller team to capture the launch and landing of space shuttles Discovery and Atlantis using the band's distinctive brand of surround sound. The "Music of the Spheres” audience will relive the event from their seats, hearing the most accurate audio recording of a shuttle launch and landing ever made. In other highlights, Davis will premiere his "Mannheim-ized” version of the Star Trek theme, unveil new compositions and revisit some familiar "space-based” favorites. The original members of the Mannheim Steamroller, still together after more than 25 years, will be accompanied by a professional orchestra comprised of local musicians.

These concerts and the proposed 2008 concert tour and album, also called "Music of the Spheres," will benefit The Space Foundation. "I have been fascinated with space exploration since my childhood, when I spent many an evening gazing at the stars with wonder and amazement," says Davis. "I feel it is important that we continue to foster that same sense of awe among our young people today. With their extensive educational and outreach programs, one could simply not ask for a better partner than The Space Foundation.”

Perhaps best known for their distinctive Christmas music, Mannheim Steamroller is set to release their fifth holiday-themed album October 9. By special arrangement with the theaters, audience members attending any of these three performances will have the opportunity to buy advance copies of "Christmas Song" at the theatre the night of the show. There will be a limit of 8 albums per customer.