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Born 67 Years Ago Today in Ohio, the Chet Atkins Protege Guitarist Who Has Played With George Strait and Alan Jackson
The article marks guitarist Brent Mason’s 67th birthday by outlining his rise from a self-taught child musician in Ohio to one of Nashville’s most sought-after session players. It argues that his career matters because, although often less visible than headline stars, he helped shape the sound of modern country music through extensive work with major artists such as George Strait, Alan Jackson and Willie Nelson.
It says Mason was born in Van Wert, Ohio, on 13 July 1959, moved to Nashville in 1981, and got his breakthrough after Chet Atkins saw him perform with the Don Kelley Band and invited him to play on an album. The piece describes him as a 12-time Academy of Country Music Guitarist of the Year who has played on more than 2,000 top-10 singles, and notes that he has also released two solo albums, *Hot Wired* (1997) and *Smokin’ Section* (2006), as well as sharing a Grammy win for Brad Paisley’s “Cluster Pluck”.
In short
- Brent Mason is profiled on his 67th birthday.
- He became a leading Nashville session guitarist.
- His credits include over 2,000 top-10 singles.
Explained simply
Brent Mason is one of Nashville's most prolific session guitarists, having played on over 2,000 top-10 country singles throughout his career. Although he works behind the scenes rather than as a headline performer, he has helped shape the modern sound of country music through collaborations with some of the genre's biggest names, including George Strait, Alan Jackson and Willie Nelson.
Mason was born in Van Wert, Ohio, in 1959, and taught himself to play guitar. He moved to Nashville in 1981, and his breakthrough came when the legendary guitarist Chet Atkins saw him perform and invited him to play on an album, launching his career as a session musician.
He has since become one of country music's most decorated musicians, winning the Academy of Country Music's Guitarist of the Year award twelve times. Beyond his session work, Mason has also released two solo albums and shared a Grammy win for Brad Paisley's "Cluster Pluck".
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