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William Ackerman
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Will Ackerman is a guitarist and composer of acoustic-based instrumental music. He founded and ran for many years the influential new age record label Windham Hill Records.
Born in West Germany, he was adopted by a couple who lived in Palo Alto, California. A self-professed poet and musician who briefly studied guitar with Robbie Basho, Ackerman grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. After attending Stanford University, Ackerman dropped out to become a carpenter. Ackerman had composed some pieces of music for a performance of Romeo and Juliet at Stanford. In 1975, without having played a “paying gig” a group of friends and informal fans got together and collected about $300 in five dollar bills to send me into a recording studio. I picked a studio out of the phone book named Mantra Studios (it was the ’70s after all!). I walked into that room and made a record I called ‘The Search for the Turtle’s Navel’ in two afternoons. (William Ackerman, liner notes for ‘Returning,’ 2005).
Initially Ackerman kept up his job as a builder but recording music took up more of his time until he was working on music full-time. Ackerman ran his Windham Hill Records for years. He did just about everything from picking cover art to producing the records. Early albums featured himself (‘It Takes a Year’) and his cousin, fellow guitarist Alex de Grassi’s ‘Turning: Turning Back’ (1978). Although in later years critics would single out Ackerman’s records (especially Childhood and Memory) and De Grassi’s first record, the album that gained Windham Hill Records notice was George Winston’s 1980 recording ‘Autumn’.
Born in West Germany, he was adopted by a couple who lived in Palo Alto, California. A self-professed poet and musician who briefly studied guitar with Robbie Basho, Ackerman grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. After attending Stanford University, Ackerman dropped out to become a carpenter. Ackerman had composed some pieces of music for a performance of Romeo and Juliet at Stanford. In 1975, without having played a “paying gig” a group of friends and informal fans got together and collected about $300 in five dollar bills to send me into a recording studio. I picked a studio out of the phone book named Mantra Studios (it was the ’70s after all!). I walked into that room and made a record I called ‘The Search for the Turtle’s Navel’ in two afternoons. (William Ackerman, liner notes for ‘Returning,’ 2005).
Initially Ackerman kept up his job as a builder but recording music took up more of his time until he was working on music full-time. Ackerman ran his Windham Hill Records for years. He did just about everything from picking cover art to producing the records. Early albums featured himself (‘It Takes a Year’) and his cousin, fellow guitarist Alex de Grassi’s ‘Turning: Turning Back’ (1978). Although in later years critics would single out Ackerman’s records (especially Childhood and Memory) and De Grassi’s first record, the album that gained Windham Hill Records notice was George Winston’s 1980 recording ‘Autumn’.
Top Albums
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Passage
William Ackerman
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Sound of Wind Driven Rain
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Conferring with the Moon
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Past Light
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Processional
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The Bricklayer's Beautiful Daughter
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The Impending Death of the Virgin Spirit
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Anne's Song
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Hawk Circle
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Shella's Pictures
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Climbing in Geometry
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Ventana
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Slow Motion Roast Beef Restaurant Seduction
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Unconditional
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Driving
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Conferring With the Moon
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I Know This River
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The Last Day at the Beach
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Just Before Dawn
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Shoutbox
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ftbliss wrote:
Great music
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dannybp9 wrote:
i write classical, new age and rock music and i jus wanna say will ackerman is an incredible guitarist and his music is absolutely gorgeous. i am also somewhat of an imsomnia and i listen to his music while i meditate to help me sleep. thank you will!!! :)
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lincredible wrote:
such a great artist.
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Rejyna wrote:
All Shadwofax Fans need to hear this man's brillant music!!! He is responsible for much of what they were able to accomplish! JOIN THE SHADOWFAX GROUP!!! http://www.last.fm/group/SHADOWFAX
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Recent Activity
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Groups (6)
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Windham_Hill
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