Biography

Born in 1943, Jerry Portnoy grew up in the blues rich atmosphere of Chicago’s famous Maxwell Street Market where his father owned a rug store in the late ’40’s and early ’50’s. He began his professional career in the late ’60’s and since that time has performed, live and on television, to probably more people in more places than any other blues harmonica player.

With six years as featured soloist in the famed Muddy Waters Blues Band, another six as leader of the highly acclaimed Legendary Blues Band, four years at the head of his own band the Streamliners and another four as a featured member of the Eric Clapton Band. He has maintained a constant touring schedule that has carried him to every state in the union and twenty-five foreign countries on five continents. He has lectured at the renowned Berklee School of Music in Boston and has performed at The White House, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall The Smithsonian, London’s Royal Albert Hall and at major jazz festivals worldwide including the Newport Jazz Festival the Montreaux Jazz Festival the Warsaw International Jazz Jamboree. The Hawaii Pacific J Jazz and Music Fair and the Grande Parade du Jazz in Nice, France.

He has appeared on-stage with a wide variety of artists including Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, Gregg Allman, George Benson, Larry Coryell, Bob Dylan, Dizzy Gillespie, Journey, Albert King, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Winter, and the Rolling Stones. His television credits include appearances on Saturday Night Live, MTV, VH1, Soundstage, Rock Palace and the Disney Channel. In addition he has written and performed original music for Sesame Street and in 1982 was nominated for the W.C. Handy Award as songwriter of the year. His playing may be heard on several Grammy Award winning albums.

Discography