Happy Birthday George Porter Jr.: Performing Live With David Byrne In 1992

Bassist George Porter Jr. celebrates his 71st birthday today. The man responsible for laying down the funky low end as a member of the legendary New Orleans-based group The Meters has performed alongside many fellow talented musicians during the course of his 50+ year career.

Porter currently fronts his Runnin’ Pardners project and can regularly be found sitting-in with the likes of Dead & Company, Bob Weir, Widespread Panic, Tedeschi Trucks Band and numerous others. Over the past several decades, Porter has appeared on albums by fellow NOLA icons like Dr. John and Allen Toussaint, as well as on recordings by the likes of Albert King, Z.Z. Top, Robert Palmer, Patti Labelle, Robbie Robertson, Maceo Parker, Tori Amos and David Byrne.

Porter played bass on the Talking Heads frontman’s 1992 album Uh-Oh. Bryne brought Porter with him on the subsequent tour in support of the solo LP. Byrne and Porter were joined on stage by drummer Oscar Salas, percussionists Bobby Allende and Hector Rosado, keyboardist Jonathan Best, vocalist Angel Fernandez, trumpeter Ite Jerez, violinist Lewis Kahn and baritone saxophonist Steve Sacks at Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, New Jersey on Halloween in 1992. Footage of the performance featuring Talking Heads’ classic “Life During Wartime” and more can be seen below:

Mr. Jones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyXTte9KjS4

Something Ain’t Right

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUOwb0QdfCA

Life During Wartime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqLkxp6I6mY

Women Vs. Men

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT1mQTEdp3k

Hanging Upside Down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrUpSflyK6M

Lie to Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTyTAT6b9Mc

She’s Mad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUjqv89c3f

Make Believe Mambo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-bVFvANylo