Mount Pleasant, TX

August 17, 1934

Best known for the piano music he provided to the residents and tourists of Dallas, Newell Oler grew up in Mount Pleasant, TX, raised by his aunt and grandparents (at whose restaurant he played as a child). He studied with classical pianists and composers at college, and after he graduated, spent the next five decades playing both original pieces as well as his own interpretations of poplar songs with various bands in the Dallas area. His 23 albums, including A Caroling We Should Go, Celestial Gershwin, Mood Country, and Fireside Piano, were all released posthumously in 2003. ~ Marisa Brown