I wrote in another comment, but if you examine his life, he was NOT a conformist. My favorite thing about his unconventional style was that he knew he needed a radical music program but had enough humility to know he needed someone else to direct it (he was a very talented musician). So he found the local and famous jazz club pianist and directed him to play whatever sort of music he desired. Johnny Costa, one of my personal icons, was very confused at first because he thought his music would be far too advanced or technical for a children's show. And if you watch the show, you will notice that he plays every single song in a unique way, every single time. Can you imagine that? Playing the same music for 30 years and almost never playing the same thing. He was an absolute master of not hitting the note that your brain expected him to play, yet still playing enough to resolve and release the tension of the melody. It really is beautiful music.

Whoa, tangent. But seriously, MR was a rebel and the highest calibre of person that Pittsburgh has to offer.