John Williams (guitarist)

John Christopher Williams (Melbourne, April 24, 1941) is an Australian classical guitarist.

Biography

Son of an English jazz guitarist who instilled in him a love of classical guitar. He learned and mastered the guitar from a very young age, considered by some to be gifted on the guitar. In 1952 he moved with his family to London, where he studied at the Royal College of Music and later with the guitarist Andrés Segovia.

He usually plays solo but he has also formed his own group John Williams and Friends and has collaborated on several albums with others such as the Chilean group Inti-Illimani and, also classical guitarist, Julian Bream. At the end of the 70s, he formed the group SKY together with other musicians.

Andrés Segovia described him as "the prince of the guitar" and he is today considered by the classical guitar community as one of the most important classical guitarists in the world. He has also composed various works for guitar, and has worked with folk music from places like Venezuela and Africa, recording music from these regions.

In 1995 he released the album From the Jungles of Paraguay with various works by Paraguayan guitarist and composer Agustín Barrios.

Williams mainly plays on guitars by Greg Smallman,^{[citation needed]} although he also uses guitars by Ignacio Fleta and Paulino Bernabé Jr. John Williams is a very versatile artist. Performer, composer and arranger, he has not wanted to be pigeonholed only in classical music, but rather his "curiosity" has led him to search for experimentation and immersion in other musical styles, and he regularly collaborates with the also respected guitarist Julian Bream. Williams rose to popularity in 1979 when she performed Stanley Myers' Cavatina for the Michael Cimino film The Hunter, and her version with Pete Townshend of "Won't get fooled again& was also memorable. #3. 4; from The Who. He has received numerous awards, such as the Grammy in 1973 (Best Chamber Music Performance) or the Brit in 1983 (Best Classical Recording).

Discography

Collaborations

• 1972 - Song of freedom (with Maria Farantouri)
• 1987 - Fragments of a dream (with Inti-Illimani and Paco Peña)
• 1990 - Legend (with Inti-Illimani and Paco Peña)

Tributes

• 1995 - From the Jungles of Paraguay (Agustín Barrios)