He has been called, "perfect, imaginative, sensitive, exciting and subtle, with a stunning flair for devastating funk," in The Wellington Journal. Acclaimed worldwide, Willard has performed at the New Zealand, JVC, Playboy and Essence Music festivals.
Born in 1962, Willard has been playing percussion since the 5th grade when he received his first drum set. He also sang in his church choir throughout junior and senior high school and received a scholarship to participate in the prestigious Young Musicians Program at the University of California at Berkeley. Having devoted his professional life to honing his improvisational skills, Willard places equal importance on academics as well. He received a B.A. in Percussion Performance from California State Hayward University and a M.M. in Jazz and Commercial Music from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City.