The Stan Williamson Productions production company has emerged from over 35 years of experience in the music and recording industry. What follows is a brief biography that traces some of our background, education, and experience.

 

Stan began piano study at the age of eight. For the next five years he studied classical piano privately in his hometown of Greeneville, Tn. At age 9 his Dad bought him his first guitar. Soon he was able to play rhythm and accompany himself and others in a few styles. At age 14 Stan began recording in the studio with his Dad, Don Williamson who was a successful producer in the western style square dancing industry. This experience proved valuable as Stan was able to play with more experienced studio musicians and began to hone his craft. The first studio sessions were on rhythm guitar, but soon he began to expand to bass and then ultimately to the keyboards.

 

Stan studied briefly at the University of Tennessee Music School and was in the first Jazz 101 class offered at U.T. by jazz legend Jerry Coker. Stan left school for a short time to play professionally in the Knoxville, Tn. area. His jazz trio was a featured act at the new Knoxville Hyatt Regency Hotel built around 1976. After this experience, Stan traveled with several road shows playing all over the country from the East Coast, to Las Vegas, Nevada. Realizing that the road was not his passion, Stan decided to return to school and study seriously.

 

The next 3 1/2 years were spent at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tn. Most of his time was spent on intense practice, as much as 6 to 8 hours daily. At this point Stan's playing began to mature and he began to distinguish himself in the musical community.

 

Stan's salvation experience in 1980 totally changed the emphasis of his music. He began to want to bring excellence and excitement to church music. The years from 1985-1990 saw Stan as a white music minister in a predominately black church. This time was a valuable asset to Stan's stylistic approach to the piano.

 

During these years Stan started his own recording business in Maryville, Tn. The studio produced album projects for many of the Southern Gospel groups in the area as well as many individual artists. In addition, several advertising jingles and song writer demos gave Stan years of experience creating music from "scratch".

 

As Stan's reputation began to grow in the East Tennessee region, he became a much-sought-after studio musician. Working as a producer, arranger, and keyboard production man, he became the "go to" musician for many area studios. Most of his calls would revolve around stylistic diversity or more complex orchestration work.

 

The momentum in his career continued as he was hired as the 1997 Music Director for the opening year of the "Country Tonite" show in Pigeon Forge, Tn. Stan's work with producer Karen Nelson Bell distinguished this show as a "must see" in the Pigeon Forge theater scene. He was also chosen as the music director for the "Country Tonite" Japan Tour later that same year.

 

The years 1998-2000 saw Stan working with Lee Greenwood at the Lee Greenwood Theater also in Pigeon Forge, Tn. Stan was Lee's keyboardist during this time and was also chosen for the Lee Greenwood Christmas Tour 2000. Also Stan worked with many other theater acts in the Pigeon Forge area including:

The Four Guys,

Con Hunley,

Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius,

and Louise Mandrell.

 

One of Stan's studio accounts was with Tennessee Production Center in Seymore, Tn. TPC is known as one fof the foremost producers of Karaoke Music in the country. Stan's work with this company allowed him to be exposed to practically every genre of music. Working on orchestration for Frank Sinatra tracks or cutting the latest batch of new country music was the order of the day. Also while at TPC Stan worked on Christmas projects for many major artists including:

B.J. Thomas,

Tony Orlando,

Mickey Gilley,

Eddie Rabbit,

and Stella Parton

to name a few.

 

Presently, Stan is still pursuing music ministry in Knoxville, Tn. and is actively working in artist development, production, and recording for Stan Williamson Productions.