John Williams (Guitarist)

Guitar historian Graham Wade has said: “John is perhaps the most technically accomplished guitarist the world has seen.”

Williams has reached millions of ears, and even hit the charts when he played the main theme to the Oscar-winning 1978 film ‘The Deer Hunter’. But by then, Williams was already a classical star on a major record label who’d toured the world many times over.

He built a reputation for never buzzing a string or flubbing a note. Some critics called his playing clinical — others say he is a genius.

Today, thanks in large part to Williams, the music of Barrios — once classed as ‘old-fashioned folk music’ by the classical world — is now part of every classical guitarist’s repertoire.

He toured London, Paris, Madrid, Russia, Japan and the United States at the start of his career. Since then he has toured widely, both solo and with orchestra and is heard often on radio and television. In 2007 he was presented with an Edison lifetime achievement award, and in 2016, the complete collection of his 58 CD’s (and one DVD) was issued in celebration of his work.

John Williams has collaborated with many musicians including Julian Bream, Itzak Perlman, Andre Previn, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth and Daniel Barenboim. Other musical activities have included the group Sky, collaborations with Richard Harvey, a duo with John Etheridge and the music of Latin America and Africa. He is clearly a musician who is happy to cross boundaries, and an inspiration for all.