Alberto "Bear" Whitmer is a guitarist and teacher from Metro Detroit. As an instrumental fingerstyle acoustic player, Bear plays music that draws from British and American folk, Irish Traditional Music, Celtic, blues, classical, jazz, pop, and percussive fingerstyle. He expands the sonic palette of a 6 or 12-string acoustic guitar by synthesizing melody, bass, and harmony on a single instrument while also incorporating percussive tapping techniques, expressive effects, and alternate tunings.

Bear is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee's fingerstyle guitar performance program under John Stropes. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Irish Traditional Music from the University of Limerick.  Bear has played with Mick Gavin and Friends, opened for Stefano Barone, Robert Jones & Matt Watroba, and James Keelaghan as well as being the special guest of Blackthorn. Around Detroit, he performs regularly at Irish sessions, open mics and farmers markets as well as busking when the weather cooperates. 

To catch him live, look for him at sessions in Detroit (Gaelic League), Ann Arbor (Conor O'Neill’s) and Plymouth (Sean O'Callaghan’s).