Classical Laughing Gas

I've only been familiar with the name Mason Williams from his award-winning guitar instrumental Classical Gas.  It's not all he should be known for, though.  He was actually also one of the head writers for the original Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour TV show back in the last 60s, and as such, had a notable influence on comics of the generation (including such nobodies as Steve Martin).  He went on to write for Saturday Night Live in 1980, but let's not hold that against him.

He also claims to have had the original concept of the music video and DJ, although that's not quite as clear cut (he did play Classical Gas on TV in 1968 over a backdrop of art pieces, an event that is arguably the first broadcast music video).