Mike Portnoy

American musician Mike Portnoy, best known for his work with the progressive metal band Dream Theater, was born in Long Beach, New York. The son of a radio DJ, Portnoy gained appreciation for music at an early age through his father's work. After graduating high school, he got a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, where he met future Dream Theater bandmates. During his tenure with the band, he would co-produce six of their albums and become one of their main songwriters. This would eventually reward him with over 30 awards for his drumming, becoming the second youngest person to be inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. Starting in 1997, he was part of many side projects and tribute bands to acts like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Rush and The Who. Portnoy worked briefly with Avenged Sevenfold, before leaving Dream Theater in 2010. In the next few years, he dedicated himself to other bands, being a founding member of the groups Flying Colors, The Winery Dogs, Metal Allegiance and more. During this time, he also appeared in the show "Metal Evolution'' (VH1, 2011-12). After many decades dedicated to music, Portnoy announced he would return to Dream Theater in 2023.