Herschel McWilliams is a lifelong resident of the Kansas City area. Born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, he grew up as the son of musicians — his father a drummer and his mother a pianist — and was introduced to a wide range of musical influences from an early age. He began studying piano at eight years old and picked up the alto saxophone at ten. Herschel married his wife Rebecca in November 2005, and together they have four children: Harrison, Benjamin, Vivian, and Christian; the family currently resides in Shawnee, Kansas. In addition to performing and teaching, Herschel serves on the Board of Directors for the Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors and runs his own jazz website, LiveJazzKC.com.