Biography

The Louisiana-based funk band The Meters was established in the 1960’s. Led by Art Neville, the musicians quickly established a reputation for a unique funk-infused sound that brought them to the attention of a number of notable artists during the era. The Meters served as a house band for Allen Toussaint and other artists on his record label, but also released their own hits, "Cissy Strut" and "Sophisticated Cissy" in 1969.

Throughout the 1970’s, The Meters worked with artists such as Robert Palmer and Paul McCartney, and it was McCartney who introduced the Meters to Mick Jagger, who invited the band to open for the Rolling Stones during their tours in the mid 1970’s. The breakthrough opportunity was followed by the release of the Meters’ 1976 album Fire on the Bayou, which performed extremely well. Unfortunately, the Meters disbanded in 1977, but not before a performance on the relatively new show Saturday Night Live in March of that year.

Following the event, Art Neville joined his brothers to create the Neville Brothers and the other members of the Meters went on to other projects, until in 1989 they reunited and renamed the band The Funky Meters. Since that time, the Funky Meters have continued to perform and record together with the current lineup of Art Neville, George Porter Jr., Leo Nocentelli, Zigaboo Modeliste, Brian Stoltz, and Russell Batiste. In recent years, the band has performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, and the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.