Jerry Portnoy’s memoir is a backstage pass to the golden age of blues — from playing with Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton to life on the road, in the studio, and deep in the heart of American music. Told with the same clarity and soul he brings to his harmonica, Dancing with Muddy is a must-read for any fan of the blues.

Praise for Dancing With Muddy

“Jerry Portnoy has written an extraordinary and wildly readable account of his myriad adventures, Lo including with some of the most famous bluesman in history… Portnoy is an exceptionally fine writer… His book was a great pleasure to read.”
SEBASTIAN JUNGER - Author of The Perfect Storm

“What a terrific book! Having toured many years with Muddy when Jerry was in his band, it’s wonderful to have all the fascinating backstories and recollections of his life, in and out of the blues. Jerry is a gifted writer. Thumbs up! “ 
BONNIE RAITT - Grammy award winning musician

“Jerry Portnoy was born into the electrifying heart of Chicago blues, and his book never loses that grit. He has played with extraordinary talents, and his memories sing like his harp. I knew he could play, but I didn’t know Jerry could write!“
ROBERT GORDON - Author of Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters

“Jerry Portnoy is best known as a stellar harmonica sideman, but what I loved about this book were the early stories of growing up on Maxwell Street and his adventures as a pool shark, paratrooper, and multitalented hustler, before he hooked up with the famous names.“
ELIJAH WALD - author of Dylan Goes Electric

"From Maxwell Street in Chicago to London’s Royal Albert Hall, making a spectacle of himself in cities around the world, Jerry Portnoy has enjoyed an unashamedly outsized life, making it big on a gadget small enough to fit in the pocket of a sharkskin suit. Just reading about it will make you cool.”

ROBERT SABBAG - Author of Snowblind: A Brief Career in the Cocaine Trade