Will Ackerman (born November 1949) is a guitarist and record label impresario. He founded the first New Age music record company, named Windham Hill Records, due to his affinity for meditative and sweet musical instruments.
Originally German but adopted by an American couple, he grew up in California and New England where he started playing guitar at the age of 12. Having been influenced by such acoustic artists as Leo Kottke and John Fahey, he developed a modal style with his open-tuned guitar. After a stint at Stanford University to study English and history, he dropped out and headed for the carpentry and carpenter careers, working for some record companies.
His first album is finally released and is titled In Search of the Turtle's Navel that he gave to Anne Robinson for sale in her bookstore (they will get married later). In 1976, he founded the Windham Hill Company to spread the music of eminent guitarists. In 1980, Ackerman obtained a contract with the independent company Pickwick Records and he also signed with the novice icon of the New Age, the pianist George Winston. This launched his company that will now represent the industry's quiet and soothing songs that are purchased by a host of young adults.
