An acoustic Christmas/holiday season album, A Gift of Song, was released in 1992, while his composition 'Symphony Bluegrass' has been performed by more than 40 symphony orchestras.Īlthough Williams attracted attention with his melodic 12-string guitar and banjo playing in the early 1960s, he initially attracted attention as a writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Williams has recorded several other memorable albums and compositions. The following year, Williams' album, Country Idyll, was nominated for a Grammy in the country music category for Best Instrumental Performance. An album featuring a re-recorded version of the tune with Mannheim Steamroller and Fresh Aire, Classical Gas, sold more than a million copies in 1987. A humorous scriptwriter and virtuosic acoustic guitar player and composer, Williams reached the top of the hit parade in 1968 with his classical folk guitar instrumental, 'Classical Gas.' Although it took six months for the single to become a chart-topping smash, it went on to win Grammy awards as Best Instrumental (Theme) Composition and Best Instrumental (Theme) Performance, as well as a Best Instrumental Orchestral Arrangement award for arranger Mike Post. Mason Williams reached his peak in the late 1960s.
