M A S O N W I L L I A M S
'FIFTY YEARS'
OF
"C L A S S I C A L G A S"
A TIMELESS MASTERPIECE
Mason Williams emerged in the
late 1960’s as a strong force in television and music circles. In 1968 he won two Grammy awards with his
unique composition for guitar, Classical Gas. That same year he also won an
Emmy award for his work as a comedy writer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy
Hour.
Mason is perhaps most widely
known as a composer and recording artist.
He has recorded more than two dozen albums, five on the Warner Bros.
label (The Mason Williams Phonograph Record, The Mason Williams Ear Show,
Music, Handmade, and Sharepickers).
Classical Gas was released as a single from The Mason Williams
Phonograph Record in 1968. Classical Gas
won three Grammys that year for: “Best Instrumental (theme) Composition”, “Best
Instrumental (theme) Performance”, and “Best Instrumental Orchestra
Arrangement” (Mike Post, arranger).
In 1987, Mason teamed up with
MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER of Fresh Aire fame, to release a new album on the American
Gramaphone label. The Album, titled
“CLASSICAL GAS”, includes a remake of his 1968 Grammy award winning song. Another cut from this album, “Country Idyll”,
was a 1988 nominee for a Grammy in the Country Music category for “Best
Instrumental Performance by a Soloist, Group or Orchestra.” This album went Gold in 1991, and is now
approaching platinum.
Mason has released (on the Real
Music label) an acoustic instrumental album of Christmas/Holiday music tititled
“A GIFT OF SONG”, featuring arrangements of traditional carols and original
compositions. In 1992 the Vanguard label
released “MUSIC 1968-1971”, a compilation of cuts from his five Warner Bros.
albums recorded in the late 60s, early 70s.
As a comedy writer, Mason has
written for more than 150 hours of network television programming. Writing both music and comedy, Mason was a
prime creative force for CBS’ controversial SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR. His extensive repertoire in folk music gave
him the background for many of Tom and Dick’s comedy routines, and with
co-writer Nancy Ames, he also composed the shows’ musical theme. He also created and perpetuated the 1968 PAT
PAULSEN FOR PRESIDENT CAMPAIGN, the most elaborate political satire in recent
history.
Other major television
personalities he has written for include: Roger Miller, Petula Clark, Andy
Williams, Glen Campbell, Dinah Shore, and Steve Martin. In 1980 Mason was head
writer for NBC’s SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. In
1988 Mason received his third Emmy nomination as a comedy writer for his work
on THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS 20TH REUNION SPECIAL (CBS).
He is also the creator of the
world’s largest sunflower. Originally
intended as a short film, the sunflower concept was conceived as a slow-motion
aerial ballet in which an old biplane skywrites (“draws”), the stem and leaves
of a sunflower in the sky beneath the sun, the sun thereby becoming the blossom
of the flower.
Approaching the 50th Anniversary
of Classical Gas gave Williams an opportunity to reflect on his career and
collect many of his art, writing and music projects into a fantastic
retrospective presentation that has been and continues to be exhibited in
galleries around the country.
Mason is also currently working
on events around the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Classical Gas
including writing, composing and
performing in a variety of venues which continues to this day.
MASON WILLIAMS
and friends
A GIFT OF SONG
AN ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTAL CHRISTMAS ALBUM
available at amazon
For more information about Mason Williams visit
Purchase the critically acclaimed ‘A Gift of Song’ by Mason Williams
… an acoustic instrumental Christmas album available for the holidays
at amazon
.com
M A S O N W I L L I A M S
INTERVIEWED ON
THE RAY SHASHO SHOW-BBS RADIO
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Have
a great week everybody!
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