This is the personal site of Will Ackerman, founder of Windham Hill Records, recording artist, producer, writer, builder...

• The GRAMMY AWARD WINNING CD!


"RETURNING was an opportunity to capture my career as I hope it will be remembered.

These are new recordings of my favorite pieces spanning 35 years of music writing.
Listening now to the early versions of these pieces, I hear a kid who was scared to death in the studio and just trying to get through the session without major blunders. Over years of performing these pieces they’ve evolved nuance that was invisible to me then.
The recording technology of the mid 1970s when most of these pieces were originally recorded was relatively primitive and the new recordings reveal a richness that was only hinted at before. Even the guitars I play today are from another world of sonic range and possibility. I honestly had to make this record for myself…the Grammy award only proved to me that it had worked for others as well."

Will Ackerman
Windham County, Vermont

You can purchase RETURNING at Amazon.com, or download it from iTunes Music Store.

• Producer
  Will Ackerman has produced a collection of Platinum and Gold Records in many countries world wide in his nearly 30 years in the music business. Will is currently available as a producer for independent musicians and record labels. A producer of both instrumental artists (George Winston, Michael Hedges, Liz Story, Alex deGrassi) and singer/songwriters (Patty Larkin, John Gorka), Will is available to produce in his own Imaginary Road Studios in Windham County, Vermont and is willing to travel throughout the world.
  
  
• Imaginary Road Studios
  Will's own state-of-the-art Imaginary Road Studios is an inspirational setting in which to create the highest quality recordings. Please visit the studio site for more information or email any inquiries here.
  
  
• A Piano for Imaginary Road Studios
  "I did not want to buy a piano. I didn’t want the expense. I didn’t know where we’d store it. I didn’t want the additional hassles of climate control. I didn’t want to deal with moving it. I just didn’t want to buy a piano. Then I heard this piano.
  I’ve recorded a lot of piano in my life, most recently I’d been producing at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch to get a sound I was satisfied with.
  The piano we’ve purchased for the studio is simply the most beautiful and balanced piano sound I’ve ever heard in my life. We’ve spent $ 15,000 in rebuilding and adding Stanwood Action. For those of you looking for a wonderful place to record and a world class piano (or better), our Steinway B is now available. If interested, contact me at will@williamackerman.com
  
  
• Demo Tape / Music Submissions
  "My history as the founder and former owner of Windham Hill Records invites a lot of email. I swear I enjoy hearing from absolutely everyone, but I need to define a few realities..."
  
  
• In Concert
  Currently Will's next public concert is Saturday, May 17th 2008 at the Barnstormers Theatre in beautiful Tamworth Village, NH along with Dana Cunningham and David Cullen! If you are in New England, don't miss this one! Go to Will's Tour Dates page for more information on other concerts or to see when he will performing in your area.
  
  
• Will's House Concerts
  "I would never trade the experience of my concerts at Carnegie Hall for anything. Then there was the night they turned the lights off at Red Rocks outside of Denver so that the full moon could illuminate the performance Michael Hedges, Shadowfax and I were giving that night. The courtyard at Palazzo Murat in Positano, Italy, the warm night at the Hollywood Bowl, the night they lit an entire mountain in it’s fall colors in the Japanese Alps at Yasugatake.
  It’s hard to beat those experiences, but I’m finding that some of my most memorable experiences of late are taking place in living rooms, playing for a small group of friends without any amplification… more or less how I started playing for people 35 years ago.
  If you would be interested in having me perform in your home or any intimate, informal setting, please let me know by writing me here and I’ll be back to you right away."
  Will
  
  
• Transcriptions and Tunings
  Many of you have been asking about where to find music transcriptions of Will's songs. Hal Leonard print music publishers now offer THE WILLIAM ACKERMAN COLLECTION, transcriptions of 14 of Will's favorite pieces. Additional sheet music of Will's compositions is included in the WINDHAM HILL GUITAR SAMPLER, also published by Hal Leonard. Both are available online at MusicDispatch.com. Patrick Breen has assembled a brilliant book on open tunings, collecting them from players all over the world. For those seriously interested in exploring open tunings this collection is tremendously helpful.
  And due to the number of requests for the tunings of Will's songs we have created a Tunings page, including brand new ones from the Hearing Voices CD.
  
  
• Music For Film and Television
  Will's services as composer, producer, music supervisor and music publisher are also available to directors and film makers and TV producers. Will also controls the publishing for most of the recordings on Windham Hill between the years of 1976 and 1992. Let us know if you are interested in using any of this music for your next production.
  
  
• Music Publishing
  The vast majority of music produced by and for Windham Hill Records between 1976 and 1992, including the music of George Winston, Michael Hedges, Liz Story, Alex DeGrassi, is controlled by Will Ackerman's two principal music publishing companies: IMAGINARY ROAD MUSIC (BMI) and BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER MUSIC (ASCAP). These compositions are available for approved use in film and television. Please contact us if you are interested.