Mr Bear

Mr Bear a.k.a. Larry Turner.

Mr Bear is the lead guitarist for the blues and R&B band 2Klean.

"Music", he said, "is a gift within that was always trying to come out." In fact it was coming out of him at such a young age that at age 14 he was playing professionally in a band at clubs, but had to stand behind a curtain because of his tender years.

His father played Muddy Waters and B.B. King at the house when he was growing up. In fact his father sang in various bands. His mother had a gospel group, the Mary Wright Singers. His father in law, Sylvester Pots, was an original member of The Contours.

At a young age Mr Bear was a member of the King Family Singers, Gospel Classics, and the Southern Four.

So the music was in him and and had to get out. And his way was to pick really fast solos using just his thumb. There is no need for an un-natural sounding pick.

A number of years ago Alonzo Bird was putting together a band which he called “2Klean”. The band included Mr Bear on guitar, Mopp on bass, and Alonzo on keyboards. The band jelled so well that when Alonzo passed away, they kept the band going with the same name as a kind of tribute to Alonzo Bird. Currently the band includes Mr Bear, Mopp, Wooly Wooly on keyboard, and Larry Jr on drums. Larry Jr is Mr Bear’s son.

People say Mr Bear sounds a lot like B.B. King. Mr Bear cites Little Milton, John Guitar Watson and B.B. King as influences. And in fact Mr. Bear has a sterio lead guitar called Lucille, which Mr Bear saw at a music store and could not resist.

Mr Bear has played with Wilie D Warren, Sassy Wilson, Dr CC, Lady T, Davy Blue, and Tony B.

He has played at the 20 Grand, the Latin Quarter, and currently can be caught every Friday night at the Raven on Chene in Detroit playing with his band 2Klean.

Mr. Bear and 2Klean can be reached for engagements at:

H: (313) 839-5471
C: (313) 378-5567