Paul Williams is a graduate of Oregon State University, class of 1984. He has been a Piano Technician Guild member since 1992 and a registered piano technician since 1996. He studied piano technology with Steve Brady at University of Washington, 1992-1993. Williams was self-employed for 15 years and worked as a staff piano technician at University of Nebraska in Lincoln for eight years. He joined the University of South Carolina as director of piano services on August 1, 2014.

Williams has been married to Tarja Williams since 1993, and they have a son, Harlan, born in 1996. They have two dogs, Luna the Husky and Kyushu, the Havanese.