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Tony Williamson Reflects On His Career

WUNC | By Amanda Magnus,
Frank Stasio
Published May 11, 2018 at 12:11 PM EDT

This year is the 50th anniversary of mandolin player Tony Williamson’s recording career. Throughout the years, he has played with bluegrass legends like Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs and Sam Bush. But in the 1980s, Williamson suffered a series of accidents and injuries, and a surgeon told him he would never play the mandolin again. He went through a long transition that included experimenting with Chinese medicine, a spiritual awakening and trying to look at the world a little differently.

Musician Tony Williamson plays some music and talks about his career with host Frank Stasio.

Host Frank Stasio talks to Williamson about his music, his accident, and his store Mandolin Central, through which he trades and sells antique mandolins and other instruments. Williamson was profiled in the North Carolina Arts Council’s 50 for 50 project. He also received a 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award. He will be performing at the 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award ceremony on Wednesday, May 23, at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh.  

Williamson and his brother started playing music at a young age.
Courtesy of Tony Williamson /
Williamson and his brother started playing music at a young age.
Courtesy of Tony Williamson /
Courtesy of Tony Williamson /
Williamson performing recently with his band.
Courtesy of Tony Williamson /
Williamson performing recently with his band.

Copyright 2018 North Carolina Public Radio
Amanda Magnus
Amanda Magnus grew up in Maryland and went to high school in Baltimore. She became interested in radio after an elective course in the NYU journalism department. She got her start at Sirius XM Satellite Radio, but she knew public radio was for her when she interned at WNYC. She later moved to Madison, where she worked at Wisconsin Public Radio for six years. In her time there, she helped create an afternoon drive news magazine show, called Central Time. She also produced several series, including one on Native American life in Wisconsin. She spends her free time running, hiking, and roller skating. She also loves scary movies.
See stories by Amanda Magnus
Frank Stasio
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
See stories by Frank Stasio