60s Music Video Flashback

Mason Williams - "Classical Gas"

Mason Douglas Williams (born August 24, 1938) is an American guitarist and composer, best known for his guitar instrumental Classical Gas He is also a comedy writer, known for his writing on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and Saturday Night Live. He is also an eclectic poet and lyricist, who has published several books.

Mason Williams was born in Abilene, Texas. He grew up in Oakridge, Oregon, and is a graduate of Northwest Classen High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University. As of 2006, he lived in Eugene, Oregon with his wife, who is a defense attorney.

Mason Williams emerged in the late 1960s as a strong force in television and music circles. In 1968 he won two Grammy Awards for 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.

In 1970, Williams made a memorable television appearance on a variety show, Just Friends, which reunited regulars of the The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. To create a visual element for his performance, he used a special playable classical plexiglass guitar built for him by Billy Cheatwood and a prop designer for ABC. For the performance, Williams filled the guitar with water and added a couple of goldfish. He then used the plexiglass guitar to finger-sync his hit version of Classical Gas.

On the Web:

Mason Williams Online