Album Notes

The Live Cast Album of Banjo Boy, recorded live in Iowa, includes 20 original, catchy, well-crafted, hummable tunes, and was mixed by Cynthia Daniels, who mixed The Producers.

Banjo Boy premiered in Fairfield, Iowa, at the Stephen Sondheim Performing Arts Center on August 8, 2008 and ran through August 17th. The orchestration, choreography, singing and acting were of Broadway-level quality, featuring actors from all over the country. We had octogenerians dancing in the aisles!

Banjo Boy is a bio-musical with a twist--from heaven an elderly Meredith Willson goes back to 1928 to change three notes of his personal life, including repairing his non-existent relationship with his father. His adventures upon running away from home include meeting a young Louis Armstrong, tracking down an elderly John Philip Sousa in San Francisco, falling in love with Zi Ling, a Chinese mui tsai (indentured servant), forming a group--The Banjo Boys--and returning home to Mason City, Iowa to help win the Iowa High School Band contest with his own song and win back the love of his father. Banjo Boy is a glorious celebration of American Music, of American diversity, and of the life of Meredith Willson. Many of the songs are here on the website to listen to. The songs crackle with wit, rhythm and hummable melodies!