Professional Bio

Willie Bradley is a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, and a graduate of South Carolina State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Performance. His music reaches audiences worldwide and can be heard on smooth jazz radio stations across the globe.

Willie has recorded six successful contemporary jazz projects and is currently completing his seventh CD. Throughout his career, his work has received three Grammy Award nominations, produced two No. 1 Billboard Smooth Jazz hits, and earned him the title of Beats Magazine 2021 Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year as voted by The Smooth Jazz Network. He is also a voting member of the Grammy Recording Academy.

As a performer, Willie has appeared nationally and internationally with jazz legends and notable artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Frank Foster, Max Roach, Betty Carter, Ronnie Laws, Marion Meadows, Walter Beasley, Gerald Albright, Gerald Alston, George Clinton, James Lloyd, and André 3000. He has also toured France, Portugal, and Japan as a member of the horn section for The Original James Brown Band. In addition, Willie has performed the National Anthem for professional sports teams including the Baltimore Orioles, Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, Carolina Hurricanes, and the Los Angeles Clippers.

While these accomplishments are significant, Willie is most proud of his role in higher education. He is currently serving his fifth year as a full-time Music Industry Professor and Artist-in-Residence in the Visual and Performing Arts Department at South Carolina State University. In this role, he is deeply committed to student success, focusing on artist development, career readiness, and practical industry skills. He is widely respected by students, faculty, and staff for his accessibility, mentorship, and willingness to support others.

Willie regularly features his Music Industry students in community jazz concerts, providing them with valuable real-world performance experience. Recognizing the financial challenges many students face, he established the Willie E. Bradley, Jr. Scholarship Foundation, which provides financial support to Music Industry students at South Carolina State University.

In recognition of his professional achievements and service to higher education, Willie Bradley was nominated for and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from South Carolina State University in 2022 and the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to the music industry and superior community service in 2024.