The red light on John Tesh’s answering machine was blinking. With the press of a button, a cassette tape began to roll and a message that would go on to change his life started to play.

It was from himself.   

“Hi, this is a message for me about the NBA theme,” Tesh said on his answering machine while calling his house in 1989. “Here’s an idea. It goes like this: “Bada-da-da-da-da—da—da…”

That melody went from his answering machine to television screens across the world,…