Dates

• Existence: 1902-1984

Biography

Meredith Willson (1902-1984), author, musician, composer, lyricist, and librettist, made his home town of Mason City, Iowa, famous in his Broadway musical, The Music Man, which he based on his own memories and town lore. As a child, Willson took the obligatory piano lessons and played the flute and piccolo in the high school band. After graduation he left for New York and the Institute of Musical Art (now the Juliard School). At nineteen, he became a member of John Philip Sousa's famous band. Five years later, he joined the New York Philharmonic, then under the direction of Arturo Toscanini. From there he traveled to the West coast where he served as a musical director, first with the American Broadcasting Company and then the National Broadcasting Company. In that capacity he became an active composer, at times writing more than a dozen musical programs each week. He also scored films for Hollywood, including Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator. During World War II, Willson headed the musical division of the Armed Forces Radio Services. At war's end, he turned his talent to network radio and television work. In 1949, the Meredith Willson Show debuted.   Meredith Willson's greatest success came in 1957, with the Broadway musical The Music Man. He wrote the book, music and lyrics for this Tony award winning show, which earned him both an Oscar for the movie version and the first Grammy ever presented for best album. Willson went on to write three other Broadway shows: Here's Love, 1491, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, which was also made into a movie musical. He authored five books, including the autobiographical And There I Stood with My Piccolo. Willson is remembered for his popular tunes such as May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You as well as the boisterous Iowa Fight Song which he wrote in 1950.   Mason City's favorite son died at the age of eighty-two.

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