Past celebrity sponsors have included Blackalicious, Charles Brown, Cake, Tracy Chapman, Les Claypool, The Doobie Brothers, Green Day, John Lee Hooker, Metallica, Rancid, Carlos Santana and The Donnas.
Blue Bear's teachers are experienced educators and professional musicians who have played with, taught and/or written for numerous artists including Bonnie Raitt, Metallica, Huey Lewis and the News, Third Eye Blind, Carlos Santana, The Tubes, Billy Idol, Norah Jones, Counting Crows, Belinda Carlyle, The Sons of Champlin, Albert Collins, Charlie Musselwhite and Bobby McFerrin.
Current Blue Bear faculty includes GRAMMY nominated, platinum-selling songwriter, producer and musician Bonnie Hayes; noted Bay Area vocal coach and producer Raz Kennedy (formerly with Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra); and composer, arranger, guitarist and singer Steve Kirk.
[5] Each year Blue Bear presents a benefit concert that raises funds for the school's youth music education programs.
Joining Robben on stage was Blue Bear alum, faculty member and Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Bonnie Hayes and her band.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Booker T. Jones was the featured headline artist.
Returning from BLUE BEAR LIVE II, Bonnie Hayes and Vicki Randle were joined on stage with guest vocalists Sista Monica Parker, Amber Morris and Larry Batiste.
Blues guitar legend Elvin Bishop was the headline artist, and was joined by Tommy Castro, Bonnie Hayes, John Németh, Vicki Randle, Mighty Mike Schermer, André Thierry and R.C.