In addition to his musical theatre career, Willson was a noted bandleader, broadcaster and songwriter.
On this day we celebrate the life and legacy of composer Meredith Willson on his birthday. Willson's show The Music Man is headed back to Broadway this year starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster.
Willson was a noted bandleader, broadcaster and songwriter ("It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas") well before he cemented his legacy as the playwright and composer behind The Music Man.
The Tony Award-winning 1957 Broadway smash has spawned countless revivals and adaptations and remains one of the most popular musicals in American theater.
His family's The Music Man Foundation entrusted his personal papers - including correspondence with presidents and other famous figures - to the Great American Songbook Archives & Library, where they are being digitized for online research access.
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