Mason Williams

Mason Williams ( born August 24, 1938 in Abilene, Texas) is an American guitarist and composer.

It was only during his music studies at the University of Oklahoma City learned Mason Williams alongside guitar. He decided to remain with the music and was a member of the folk band The Wayfarers. During his time in the army was then indeed no time for band tours, but for club appearances and for composing. His composing also earned his money after military service. His customers included stars such as the Kingston Trio, Gale Garnett and Petula Clark. He was also co-author of international hits Cinderella Rockefella by Esther & Abi Ofarim.

In 1967 when the comedy duo Tom and Dick Smothers were given a regular TV show, he went as a writer for music and comedy. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was a success and got the script for an Emmy. In a second Emmy in 1969, Williams was even lead author.

As part of the show, there were musical guests and so came also the contact with Warner Bros. Records. Mason Williams got a record deal and the first plate was produced by Mike Post. First single was the self- composed instrumental Classical Gas. In the unusual piece, a mix of country, rock and classical guitar theme from Williams will be accompanied by four cellos, violins, two horns, two trumpets, two pianos, three guitars, drums and bass. In the U.S., the song reached number 2 in the UK and 9th place at the Grammy Awards 1969, received three awards for best instrumental performance Pop, Best Instrumental Theme and Best Instrumental Arrangement ( Mike Post). Classical Gas became an instrumental classics often used and frequently played.

But Mason Williams versatile talents include not only the music. He wrote a variety of non-fiction books and is the creator of the " Bus" book: This is the picture of a Greyhound bus in original size ( 3.4 mx 11 m), folded to the size of a book. There was admission to the Museum of Modern Art in New York. A second piece of art was "Sunflower": An aircraft painted a stem and two leaves so in the sky, that as a flower head for about 40 seconds a sunflower found with the sun before it was gone with the wind.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Williams continued to work as a double-track comedy writer, again and again for the Smothers Brothers, but also for others, including for Saturday Night Live. And he published repeatedly plates, so he joined in 1987 with Mannheim Steamroller together for the album Classical Gas that contains a joint re-recording of instrumental hits and was certified gold. The song Country Idyll was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Instrumental.

In the 1990s, he focused mainly on concerts and performances. He also discovered the film music for himself and wore his compositions at several film soundtracks. Of his other albums Music For The Epicurean Harkener received, a short album (EP ) with six instrumental tracks, another Grammy nomination (2003), the album Electrical Gas, a collaboration with the British guitarist Zoe McCulloch, was on the suggestion list (2005).