School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Mason Williams

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Mason Williams was born in 1938 in Abilene, Texas, and grew up between Oklahoma and Oregon. He studied at Oklahoma City University and served in the American navy from 1961 to 1963. He became a classical guitarist, composer, singer, writer, comedian and poet, and in so doing a versatile figure in American television and music of the 1960s. His friendship with the artist Edward Ruscha dates from his years in Oklahoma.

Music and breakthrough

His greatest success was Classical Gas, an instrumental piece from 1968 that appeared on The Mason Williams Phonograph Record. It won three Grammy Awards, including for the orchestral arrangements by Mike Post, and sold more than a million copies. For Warner Bros. he recorded five albums, including The Mason Williams Ear Show and Hand Made in 1970. For the covers of Hand Made and Sharepickers he received Grammy nominations. He also wrote songs for The Kingston Trio and, together with Nancy Ames, Cinderella Rockefella, a number one in Great Britain in 1968 for Esther and Abi Ofarim.

Influence

Outside music he worked as a writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour and Saturday Night Live. His music combines the technique of the classical guitar with folk and an orchestral sound, and shows how an instrumental piece could still rank high in the charts in the age of beat groups and protest singers. Classical Gas remained his trademark, with new versions in 1987, 2003 and 2005.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Classical Gas and notice how the acoustic guitar carries the themes and how the orchestra joins in later in the piece.

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists