Biography
George Porter Jr., born December 26, 1947, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is an American bassist, songwriter, and vocalist widely recognized as one of the founding fathers of funk music. Growing up in a musically rich household—his father frequently listened to Duke Ellington while his mother sang in the local church choir—Porter developed his passion for music early. As a teenager, he became friends with future Meters bandmate Joe "Zigaboo" Modeliste, who lived next door, and the two played jam sessions together. Inspired by fellow New Orleans bassist Benjamin "Poppi" Francis, who gave him lessons, Porter was drawn to the bass guitar. His talent caught the attention of Art Neville, who approached him after Porter sat in with Earl King, asking him to join a new band that would eventually become The Meters.
Formed in the mid-1960s, The Meters—consisting of Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli, Zigaboo Modeliste, and Porter—became one of the progenitors of funk, creating groundbreaking syncopated polyrhythms and grooves rooted in New Orleans' deep African musical heritage. Porter's heavy pocket and fat bass lines formed the foundation behind funk classics like "Cissy Strut," their signature 1969 instrumental that reached No. 4 on the R&B chart and No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group also served as the house band for Allen Toussaint's label, performing as session musicians on numerous hit records including "Right Place, Wrong Time," "Lady Marmalade," "Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley," and "Southern Nights." By 1975, they were touring as the opening act for the Rolling Stones. Despite disbanding in 1977 due to personal differences, The Meters reformed in 1989 for reunion performances, with Porter and Neville later forming the Funky Meters to keep the spirit alive until Neville's retirement in 2018 and death in 2019.
Beyond The Meters, Porter has enjoyed an illustrious career spanning over five decades. He formed his own group, the Runnin' Pardners, in 1990, which he describes as "more of a funk-rock band with a taste of R&B." He has collaborated with an impressive array of artists including Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Patti LaBelle, Robbie Robertson, Tori Amos, Dr. John, Warren Haynes, Johnny Adams, Harry Connick Jr., Dead & Company, and many others. Porter joined John Scofield's Piety Street Band in 2008 and replaced Reed Mathis in Bill Kreutzmann's band, 7 Walkers, in 2010. His other projects include The Trio with Johnny Vidacovich, New Orleans Social Club, Deep Fried, and Porter Batiste Stoltz. The Meters received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018 and have been nominated four times for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Fun Facts
- Porter credits his best musical moment as when The Meters were opening for the Rolling Stones in Paris in 1976. The crowd started booing them until Keith Richards and Mick Jagger came out in support, told the crowd to shut up and listen to the music, keeping The Meters alive at that crucial time.
- The Meters were originally called Neville Sound and consisted of seven members including vocalists Cyril and Aaron Neville and saxophonist Gary Brown, before being trimmed down to the core four-piece that became legendary.
- Porter and future Meters drummer Zigaboo Modeliste grew up next door to each other in New Orleans and became friends when George was 10 years old, playing jam sessions together with Porter on a box guitar before he even picked up the bass.
- The Meters played six nights a week at a Bourbon Street bar called Ivanhoe when they were discovered by Allen Toussaint, who asked them to sign a record deal and suggested they change their name to something that better reflected their sound, leading to "The Meters."
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Benjamin "Poppi" Francis - New Orleans bassist who inspired Porter to play bass guitar and gave him lessons on the instrument (Early bass instruction) [1960s]
- Duke Ellington - Major influence through Porter's father, who frequently listened to Ellington's music (General musical influence) [Porter's childhood]
- Earl King - New Orleans musician Porter sat in with as a teenager, leading to his recruitment by Art Neville (Early performance opportunities) [1960s]
Key Collaborators
- Art Neville - Co-founder of The Meters and longtime bandmate in both The Meters and Funky Meters (The Meters albums, Funky Meters) [mid-1960s-2018]
- Leo Nocentelli - Guitarist and founding member of The Meters (The Meters albums including "Cissy Strut") [mid-1960s-present]
- Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste - Drummer, childhood friend and neighbor, founding member of The Meters with legendary rhythmic interplay (The Meters albums, session work) [1960s-present]
- Allen Toussaint - Producer and label owner who signed The Meters and worked extensively with Porter as session musician ("Right Place, Wrong Time," "Lady Marmalade," numerous New Orleans recordings) [1960s-1970s]
- John Scofield - Jazz guitarist whose Piety Street Band Porter joined (Piety Street Band touring and recording) [2008-2010s]
- Bill Kreutzmann - Grateful Dead drummer whose band 7 Walkers Porter joined, replacing Reed Mathis (7 Walkers) [2010]
- Johnny Vidacovich - New Orleans drummer, member of The Trio with Porter (The Trio (jazz-fusion and funk-fusion project)) [1990s-2000s]
- Paul McCartney - Collaborated as session bassist and live performer (Various recordings and performances) [Career span]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Crying For Hope | 2021-03-26 | Album |
| Can't Beat the Funk! | 2011-10-01 | Album |
| Live At The 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival | 2023-08-10 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Porter 13A (Crying For Hope)
- Cloud Funk (Crying For Hope)
- Wanna Get Funky (Crying For Hope)
- J Black Attack (Live) (Live At The 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
- Crying For Hope (Crying For Hope)
- Spanish Moss (Crying For Hope)
- A Ladder (Crying For Hope)
- Get Back Up (Crying For Hope)
- I'm Barely (Crying For Hope)
- Go For Yourself (Can't Beat the Funk!)
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
George Porter Jr. And Runnin` Pa has been played 9 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 5, 2026 | 22:08 | tito's dumpling machine | Kitchen Sinkw/ Derrick Freeman | |
| Nov 24, 2025 | 13:08 | Spanish Mossfrom Crying For Hope | New Orleans Music Showw/ Murf Reeves | |
| Nov 18, 2025 | 13:33 | tito's dumpling machine | New Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams | |
| Nov 5, 2025 | 12:29 | Proteins & Carbohydratfrom Porter's Pocket | New Orleans Music Showw/ Missy Bowen | |
| Oct 27, 2025 | 12:32 | Talkin` Bout My Old Friendsfrom It`s Time to Funk | New Orleans Music Showw/ Murf Reeves | |
| Oct 24, 2025 | 14:54 | CRYING FOR HOPE | The Blues Breakdown | |
| Oct 1, 2025 | 13:30 | Buttermilkfrom Porter's Pocket | New Orleans Music Showw/ Missy Bowen | |
| Sep 24, 2025 | 12:54 | Wanna Get Funkyfrom Crying For Hope | New Orleans Music Showw/ Missy Bowen | |
| Sep 15, 2025 | 12:47 | Wanna Get Funkyfrom Crying For Hope | New Orleans Music Showw/ Murf Reeves |