Iconic musical ensemble Mannheim Steamroller making holiday tour stop at Popejoy

Nov. 30—Roxanne Layton is looking forward to returning to Albuquerque.

For the last 27 years, Layton has been a member of Mannheim Steamroller, which is currently on its Christmas tour. The tour makes a stop on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Popejoy Hall.

"I hiked last year near the tram," Layton says. "It's such a peaceful area. I always look forward to the tour stops there."

Chip Davis, founder and creator of Mannheim Steamroller, will celebrate over 35 years of his annual Christmas concert tour, making it the longest-running concert tour in the entertainment industry.

Two traveling ensembles will hold performances in cities across the country.

"I remember when I came out with my first Christmas album in 1984 followed by our first tour. Back then, many in the music industry said focusing on Christmas just wouldn't work," Davis says. "Now, over 35 years later, we are still going strong. I want to thank our fans for making us part of their holiday tradition, especially after the hardships of the last few years. Today we often see multi-generational families join us during the holidays each year."

Layton met Davis not long after he started the ensemble.

"I met Chip in 1991 and they were coming through Boston," Layton recalls. "I was making professional recorders and I was listening to the radio and hear them. A half-hour later I won tickets to see Mannheim Steamroller. I went and talked to Chip until two in the morning. The next day he called me and I gave him a tape of my recital. He listened and I was in the ensemble. Chip and I get along because we both play recorder and drums."

For two months out of the year, Layton packs up to tour with the ensemble. This year, Layton is performing 50 shows in six weeks.

"It's the greatest two months of my year," she says. "I stay busy with my own music during the rest of the year. This time on tour is what I look forward to because we've become a family over the course of this journey."

Mannheim Steamroller has sold more than 41 million albums, with over 31.5 million in the Christmas genre.

This year's show will feature classic Christmas hits from the Mannheim Steamroller holiday albums along with multimedia effects in an intimate setting. Davis will direct and co-produce tour performances with MagicSpace Entertainment.

Layton says being part of Mannheim Steamroller has been an amazing experience because the performances now reach three generations.

"It's amazing to see how we continue to grow in popularity," she says. "Performing feeds my soul and I know people are hungry for live music. It makes me even more grateful to be able to perform nightly."

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7

WHERE: Popejoy Hall, University of New Mexico campus

HOW MUCH: $50-$95, plus fees, at unmtickets.com