There’s a rumor going around about the people of Ames. And it’s not very pretty.

“I hear that Ames people are the best Marcarena dancers,” pianist, composer and arranger Lorie Line said.

Pop instrumental pianist Line is bringing her holiday concert tour to Stephens Auditorium this weekend. The tour stop is just one of her 40 concerts in 32 cities. Line said it is the “fastest tour in America right now.”

But Line is familiar with speed. Take her quick rise to stardom for instance. Three years ago, she was putting her degree in piano performance to use by tickling the ivories at Dayton’s, a department store. Line said people asked when she was going to record her music. She said the thought never occured to her.

“Playing the piano is all I ever wanted to do, I began when I was five,” she said. “But I never thought about recording.”

Line said she spent 3,500 hours on the same piano bench before she “took control” of her career. Now, Line is not only a pianist, composer and arranger. She is a recording artist and business woman. Line records and publishes sheet-music collections on her own label, Time Line Productions.

“It has become a major label,” Line said of Time Line. “We have 30 people on tour.”

This year, the tour theme is “be there with bells on.” Audience members are encouraged to bring sleigh bells, cow bells, anything that jingles, and join in on the music being made.

“We want the audience to participate,” Line said. “When you have 2,500 bells ringing, it’s amazing. The fun part will be the bells — and the Marcarena. “

She said, like last year’s show, she and her orchestra will be performing “The Twelve Days of Christmas” again as a comedy routine. Instead of “five golden rings,” the cue will be “5 million bells.” You can guess the rest.

Line said her arrangements are the “highlight” of her show, though. Members of her orchestra play harmonica, mandolin, fiddle, African percussion, Indian flute, saxophone and guitar. She has also added two new instruments this year.

“Hopefully, I’m speaking the same language as the audience,” she explained. “I try to keep the melody at the center of the composition. I like arranging best.”

But there will more than one highlight this year, literally. Line has also added 120 choreographed lights to the show. The set travels from tour to tour in its own semi. Line said the lights add “theatrics” to the performance for a more “sophisticated” show.

No matter how big her show, or how popular her recordings, Line remains down to earth. She owes a lot of her success to “having a great nanny.” This is the first year Line’s two children will accompany her and her husband on part of the tour.

Line will be in concert with her Pop Chamber Orchestra Sunday, Nov. 24 at Stephens Auditorium at 7 p.m. Tickets are $14, $18, $22 and $25. Tickets may be purchased at the Iowa State Center Box Office or Ticketmaster outlets. Charge by phone at 233-1888.