Akkerman was born near the Waterlooplein, in the center of Amsterdam, the son of a scrap iron trader. At age five he took guitar lessons and his first single was released in 1960, when he was thirteen years old. He was a member of Johnny and his Cellar Rockers, The Hunters (with whom he scored the 1966 Dutch pop hit Russian Spy and I) and Brainbox (which also garnered several Dutch hit singles, including a cover of Tim Hardins Reason to Believe). Akkerman performing on Dutch television (AVROs TopPop) in 1974 Akkerman joined the Thijs van Leer Trio in late 1969 which, as the nascent band Focus was the pit band for the Dutch theatrical production of Hair (recorded as an album in 1969). Continuing under the name Focus, the band explored the progressive rock genre (an amalgam of classical, jazz, and rock music in short and extended instrumentals) and scored a few worldwide hits in the seventies (the singles Hocus Pocus and Sylvia and the certified Gold albums Moving Waves and Focus III). In 1973 Akkerman was chosen Best Guitarist in The World by the readers of the UK magazine, Melody Maker. His standing was such that he teamed up with manufacturer Framus to produce one of the first signature guitar models. In early 1976 Akkerman left Focus and continued his solo career, and collaborations with other musicians. youtu.be/39RKzQ89-k0
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 09:39:48 +0000
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