John Williams

Australian-born guitarist John Williams was given his first guitar at the age of four. He studied with Andrés Segovia during the late '50s, and together with Julian Bream, was instrumental in popularizing the classical guitar. Although the classical establishment reacted with disdain, he took flamenco into the pop charts with John Williams Plays Spanish Music (1970). He also enjoyed a hit single in 1979 with Cavatina, memorably used as the theme to the film The Deerhunter. He subsequently formed the million-selling pop-classical outfit Sky in the late '70s, before extending his stylistic range even further on composer Paul Hart's Concerto for Guitar & Jazz Orchestra and an album with Chilean folk group Inti-Illimani. Williams was awarded the OBE in 1980. ~ Rovi Staff