Strings Attached: The Life and Music of John Williams

by William Starling

This is the fascinating life story of one of the world's leading classical guitarists; the official biography of John Williams. William Starling is a writer and amateur musician.

Genres: Music

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2012

Reviews

[Peter Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much about other people (the first 100 pages are all about John's father) and too little about the subject. Too many unnecessary details that fail to provide insight into the life of John Williams.

[Michael Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me and Len

I knew Len Williams as a teacher and friend and met John after his first recital and when he visited his father. Greatly enjoyed the boik!

[William Dury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amateurish in the best sense, a labor of love from a pure heart. John is put on a pedestal but, why not, he seems an amiable fellow and god knows he’s talented.

Someone’s review complained about extraneous characters and mentioned John’s father Len. Actually, in some respects he is the more interesting of the two. He was a professional level musician himself, trained perhaps the greatest classical guitarist who has ever lived, publicly quarreled with Andre Segovia, created and lived in a number of open relationship communities, and, sometime in his fifties, becoming intrigued by the monkeys in a local zoo, made himself into an world respected expert, published a number of books, and opened a sanctuary that operates to this day. I’m not clear he ever went to college. Hell, I’m not sure he finished high school. He just sort of figured it out. Oh, and he smoked himself to death.

John is just maybe the greatest classical guitarist who ever lived. A little dull, right?

[Wilbur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating reading, especially the early years with his father as his main teacher.