The Music Man stands as one of the greatest achievements in American musical theatre but few know about its rocky beginnings and the againstallodds success story of its creator Meredith Willson.Mark Cabaniss steps back into the Golden Age of Broadway and brings to life the origins of this classic show the music behind it and the unlikely story of its creator. Interweaving behindthescenes accounts of people who worked with Willson Cabaniss looks at his long and unusual career as a composer conductor radio personality and flutist which reached its pinnacle in The Music Man.No one initially believed in Willsonampamprsquos ampampldquoValentine to Iowaampamprdquo seeing it as nothing but a corny flop or worse a recipe for disaster. But when the curtain fell on opening night a star called The Music Man was born.