Bernie Williams

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Bernie Williams grew up in nearby Vego Alta and began playing guitar when he was eight, eventually studying classical guitar privately. He continued to concentrate on guitar in his teens, and considered it his career goal as a student at a performing arts high school in San Juan. Destiny, however, had different plans for Williams, who developed an impressive game on the baseball diamond and was drafted by the New York Yankees after high school. His interest in music never waned, though, and he continued to play guitar, often taking one on the road for away games. While most of his music studies concentrated on classical music, Williams' interests included, among others, jazz fusion luminaries like Pat Metheny, Scott Henderson, and Mike Stern. The all-star Yankees center fielder stepped into the music arena in 2003 with his Latin-tinged smooth jazz debut Journey Within.