Mike Portnoy

Mike Portnoy is best known for his role as a founding member and former drummer of progressive rock band Dream Theater. He has also recorded and performed live with Avenged Sevenfold, Fates Warning, G3, Hail!, Liquid Tension Experiment, Neal Morse, OSI, Overkill, Transatlantic, Adrenaline Mob and his four tribute bands with Paul Gilbert: Yellow Matter Custard, Hammer of the Gods, Amazing Journey and Cygnus and the Sea Monsters. Mike's long list of awards feature 26 Modern Drummer Reader's Poll Awards, including MVP of the Year in 2010, Best Progressive Rock Drummer for a record-breaking 12 years in a row, Best Clinician twice, Best Educational DVD for Liquid Drum Theater and Best Recorded Performance of the Year for Dream Theater's Awake, A Change of Seasons, Falling Into Infinity, Scenes From A Memory, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, Score and Avenged Sevenfold's Nightmare. In 2004, he became one of the youngest drummers ever inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. Mike is currently a member of The Winery Dogs, alongside Richie Kotzen and Billy Sheehan.