Bear Williams, born Larry Kimpel, is a Chicago-born Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award winner, renowned for his multifaceted musical talents as a bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He has an extensive background in various genres, including Jazz, R&B, and Gospel, but his profound passion lies in the Blues and Folk genres. Throughout his career, Bear has collaborated with notable artists such as The Staple Singers and Anita Baker. He also served as the bassist and musical director for the award winning R&B group Maze featuring Frankie Beverly for 21 years.