Egbert Austin “Bert” Williams was born in New Providence, Nassau on November 12, 1874.
When he was eleven or twelve his family settled in Riverside, California, and it was not long before Williams became attracted to show business.
In 1893, Williams got his start in show business and one of his first jobs was with a minstrel group called Martin and Selig’s Minstrels.
While in this group Williams met George Walker, a song-and-dance man with whom Williams soon formed an illustrious partnership called Williams and Walker.