George Porter Jr.
George Porter Jr. | |
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![]() Porter in 2004 | |
Background information | |
Born | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | December 26, 1947
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 1965–present |
Labels |
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Website | georgeporterjr |
George Porter Jr. (born December 26, 1947) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and singer of the Meters. Along with Art Neville, Porter formed the group in the mid 1960s and came to be recognized as one of the progenitors of funk.[1] The Meters disbanded in 1977, but reformed in 1989. The original group played the occasional reunion, with the Funky Meters, of which Porter and Neville are members, keeping the spirit alive, until Neville's retirement in 2018 and death the following year.[1]
Porter has his own group the Runnin' Pardners, and also other projects such as The Trio with
Porter joined
Biography
Early life and career with the Meters
Porter's parents were both avid lovers of music. His father frequently listened to
After the Meters
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/George_Porter_Jr._at_Bimbo%27s_365.jpg/260px-George_Porter_Jr._at_Bimbo%27s_365.jpg)
Porter played with Joyride and with many other New Orleans musicians in the 1980s. In 1989, Porter reunited with Art Neville and Leo Nocentelli as the Meters, replacing Joe Modeliste on drums with Russell Batiste Jr.[7] In 1990, he started a band called The Runnin' Pardners; a band that is still playing today. Also in the 1990s, Porter became a highly coveted bass player in the studio playing with artists like David Byrne and Tori Amos.[8] In 1994, Porter and Neville re-collaborated to form the band The Funky Meters to carry on the Meters sound. They were joined by Brian Stoltz on guitar and Russell Batiste Jr. on drums. Stoltz left the band in 2007 but rejoined in 2011 and the band still plays today.[9]
2000 to present
In 2000, the original four Meters reunited for a show at the
Porter appears in performance footage in the 2005 documentary film Make It Funky!, which presents a history of New Orleans music and its influence on rhythm and blues, rock and roll, funk and jazz.[12] In the film, he performs with Snooks Eaglin and house band on "Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)", and is seen in clips with other musicians, including Art Neville.[13]
Since Hurricane Katrina, Porter has done some activist work with other New Orleans musicians informing people of the dangers of eroding wetlands threatening the future of the city.[14] Porter still tours consistently with the Runnin' Pardners, Joyride, and The Funky Meters. He plays sporadically with the four original members of the Meters, now known as The Original Meters and also frequently collaborates with other musicians, many of whom are from New Orleans. On February 24, 2018, Porter sat in with Dead & Company during their New Orleans concert at the Smoothie King Center, playing bass on several songs including "Smokestack Lightning", "Bertha" and taking lead vocals on "Sugaree".[15]
He plays sporadically with Steve Kimock on various projects including Voodoo Dead.
Personal life
Porter was raised Catholic, and once considered becoming a priest.[16]
Awards and honors
OffBeat's Best of The Beat Awards
Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | Best New Orleans Style R&B Band or Performer | Won | [17] |
1996 | Best New Orleans Style R&B Band or Performer | Won | [17] |
1997 | Best Bass Player | Won | [17] |
1998 | Won | [17] | |
1999 | Won | [17] | |
2000 | Won | [17] | |
2001 | Won | [17] | |
2002 | Won | [17] | |
2003 | Won | [17] | |
2004 | Won | [17] | |
2006 | Won | [17] | |
2008 | Won | [17] | |
2009 | Won | [17] | |
2010 | Won | [17] | |
2011 | Lifetime Achievement in Music | Won | [17] |
Best Bass Player | Won | [17] | |
2012 | Best Bass Player | Won | [17] |
2013 | Best Bass Player | Won | [17] |
2015 | Best R&B/Funk Band or Performer | Won | [17] |
Best R&B/Funk Album (for It's Time to Funk) | Won | [17] | |
Best Bass Player | Won | [17] | |
2016 | Best Bass Player | Won | [17] |
2017 | Won | [17] | |
2018 | Won | [17] | |
2019 | Won | [17] | |
2020 | Won | [17] | |
2021-22 | Won | [17] | |
2023 | Won | [17] |
Discography
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2021) |
- Runnin' Partner (1990), Rounder
- Things Ain't What They Used to Be (1994)
- Count On You (1994) - Japan release
- Funk This (1997), Transvideo - EP
- Funk 'n' Go Nuts (2000), Transvideo
- We Came to Play (2003) - as Johnny Vidacovich, June Yamagishi and George Porter Jr.
- Searching for a Joyride (2005), Night Train
- Expanding the Funkin Universe (2007), OUW Records - as Porter Batiste Stoltz
- It's Life (2007), Transvideo
- Can't Beat the Funk (2011)
Collaborations
- In the Right Place - Dr. John (Atco Records, 1973)
- Robert Palmer(Island Records, 1974)
- Nightbirds - Labelle (Epic Records, 1974)
- Desitively Bonnaroo - Dr. John (Atco Records, 1974)
- Keep On Lovin' You - Z. Z. Hill (Hill Records, 1975)
- Phoenix - Labelle (Epic Records, 1975)
- Patti LaBelle - Patti LaBelle (Epic Records, 1977)
- New Orleans Heat - Albert King (Tomato Records, 1978)
- Victory Mixture - Willy DeVille (Sky Ranch Records, 1990)
- Storyville - Robbie Robertson (Geffen, 1991)
- Uh-Oh - David Byrne (Warner Bros. Records, 1992)
- Soul of the Blues - Solomon Burke (Black Top Records, 1993)
- There's Room for Us All - Terrance Simien (Black Top Records, 1993)
- Under the Pink - Tori Amos (Atlantic Records, 1994)
- Boys for Pele - Tori Amos (Atlantic Records, 1996)
- From the Choirgirl Hotel - Tori Amos (Atlantic Records, 1998)
- Maestro - Taj Mahal (Heads Up, 2008)
- Bible Belt - Diane Birch (S-Curve Records, 2009)
- Good Road to Follow - John Oates (Elektra Records, 2014)
References
- ^ a b c "The Official Website". George Porter Jr. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "Paul McCartney". Rolling Stone Australia. July 2, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ ""It's All Just Music": George Porter Jr. and Brian Stoltz Maintain The Meters Legacy". Jambands.com. March 11, 2011. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ^ Humphress, Corey. "Weezer, Drake, Muse, MGMT Lead Voodoo Experience Festival 2010 Lineup." Pastemagazine.co. Paste Media Group, July 17, 2010. Web.
- ^ a b c Berry, Jason; Foose, Jonathon; Jones, Tad. Up The Cradle From Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II. Lafayette, LA: University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, 2009. Print.
- ^ a b Limnios, Michalis (April 23, 2012). "New Orleans' premier bassman George Porte Jr. talks about Meters, Earl King, Snooks Eaglin, & Saints City's Music". Blues.Gr. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ Spera, Keith. "Latest Meters Reunion to Roll on at Least through Voodoo Fest." Nola.com. The Times-Picayune, August 17, 2011.
- ^ "Best of the Beat Lifetime Achievement in Music Award: George Porter Jr". Offbeat.com. January 1, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "About". funky METERS. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "2006 - 1ST SUNDAY - APRIL 30, 2006". Swagland.com. April 30, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ISBN 978 1 55652 824 8
- ProQuest 1370090.
- OCLC 61207781. 11952.
- ^ Swenson, John. New Atlantis: Musicians Battle for the Survival of New Orleans. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print.
- ^ "Dead & Company Welcomes George Porter Jr. In New Orleans". JamBase.com. February 25, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
- ^ Thompkins, Gwen. "George Porter Jr.: Boom-Bop-Boom-Bop!". Wwno.org. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Best of the Beat Award Winners: Complete List". OffBeat Magazine. September 8, 2011. Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
External links
- Official website
- George Porter Jr. at AllMusic
- Limnios, Michael. New Orleans' Premier Bassman George Porter Jr. Talks About Meters, Earl King, Snooks Eaglin, and Saints City's Music. Transcribed by Denise Sullivan. 2013.
- Rawls, Alex. New Orleans Off Beat Magazine. Best of the Beat Lifetime Achievement Award: George Porter Jr. January, 2012.
- George Porter Jr. NAMM Oral History Interview (2015)