World-renowned session guitarist Brent Mason, known for his work with country music legends like Shania Twain and George Strait, has revealed how he found his true calling behind the guitar rather than as a songwriter.
Speaking to MusicRadar, Mason explained that early in his career, he aimed to climb the ranks both as a songwriter and session player. Although publishing companies praised his songs, their real interest was in his guitar playing. “They’d say, ‘We love that. Can you play on this person’s record?’” Mason recalled. It soon became clear that his guitar skills would define his career.
Throughout the 1990s, Mason helped shape the guitar sound of country music’s revival era, wielding his iconic grey Telecaster. One of his notable contributions is the guitar solo on Shania Twain’s hit “That Don’t Impress Me Much.”
Mason admitted that his early days were filled with challenges and nerves. “I’ve messed up a lot,” he said, “but nothing career-ending.” He noted that the advent of Pro Tools has made producers more forgiving. Early on, Mason felt pressured to impress everyone and deliver perfect sessions, sometimes experimenting with untested gear that ended up sounding poor.
He described the stress of working with seasoned producers who could be intimidating. “Too many fixes gets overwhelming, and the producers would say, ‘You’re slowing our session down, dude.’ Then, you get more nervous,” Mason recalled.
He also reflected on the experience of working with famed producer Mutt Lange during the creation of Shania Twain’s Come On Over, the best-selling country album in U.S. history and the top-selling studio album by a solo female artist worldwide. Despite Lange’s reputation for being demanding, Mason described him as “a sweetheart” who encouraged and supported him with kindness.
However, Mason acknowledged that not all producers were easy to work with. He warned that negative attitudes could ruin the creative atmosphere, saying, “If you throw a self-exploding bomb into a session from the producer, they ruin their own session.”
Today, Mason’s career affords him the luxury to choose when and where to work. He rarely endures long hours unless he wants to, a benefit of his success. “The only trouble is usually producer trouble,” he joked, though he noted that younger producers tend to respect him.
Still, Mason sometimes encounters surprises, like being replaced on a track without notice. “They took you off and there’s a saxophone solo on there instead!” he laughed, adding that such occurrences are just part of the business.
Brent Mason’s story highlights both the challenges and triumphs of a top-tier session musician’s career, revealing the hard work, humility, and resilience behind the scenes of some of country music’s biggest hits.
