Richard T. Bear

Richard T Bear boasts a career that spans more than 40 years, one that led to a string of solo albums and collaborations with numerous music icons. In 1978, he signed with RCA Records and released his debut album, Red, Hot, and Blue, produced by Jack Richardson (Bob Seger, The Guess Who) that featured Les Dudek, Billy Squier, Paul Shaffer, and the Brecker Brothers. The album spawned the single “Sunshine Hotel.” A remix of the song reached the top five on the world dance charts before becoming the dance staple that it remains today. A second album followed titled Bear that includes a rendition of the Rolling Stones ’classic “Ruby Tuesday” and Captured Alive, a concert recorded in Hamburg, Germany. In 1984, he moved to Teldec Records, which led to the release of The Bear Truth, and the Giorgio Moroder produced album The Runner.

T Bear has appeared on many recordings including Crosby, Stills and Nash's "Southern Cross," The Blues Brothers Soundtrack, Richie Havens Mixed Bag II, Kiss members Gene Simmons and Peter Criss' solo ventures, as well as Toby Beau’s hit single “My Angel Baby,” Billy Squier’s solo debut Tale of the Tape, and former Rascals Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli. He would also pen the song "Love and Pain,” one of the standout tracks on Cher's blockbuster album Take Me Home. He has shared the stage with artists such as Richie Havens, Odetta, The Doobie Brothers, and Jeff Beck, to name a few.

Domestic responsibilities and a struggle to regain his sobriety forced him to put his musical career on hold. In 1983, T Bear focused on helping other musicians with their addictions and became instrumental in developing the Musicians Picnic, serving on its board of directors. The annual event led to the creation of the Musicians Assistance Program (MAP), a non-profit organization that is now part of the Recording Academy’s MusiCares Foundation.