Akkerman was born a 'diamond state Jordaan' front yard of Amsterdam, the boy of the discarded iron trader. At age 5 he took guitar lessons, at the age of xiv his number one individual was freed. He was member of Johnny & A Cellar Rockers, A Hunters & Brainbox, & joined a Thijs van Leer Trio late 1969. It continued under a title Focus & scored two or three globe hits in the seventies. Inside 1976 Akkerman left the b& and began the solo career. A reunion by owning Thijs van Downwind within 1985 turned out to exist as abortive, however despite that Akkerman produced many albums. At a equivalent instance he move when session musician by using André Hazes and others. Moreover he played sustaining Alan Price, Herman Brood, Peter Banks, Charlie Byrd, Ice-T and BB King.

Within 1992 he was involved around the good car accident, but since 1993 he is active once again. Jan Akkerman occurs as distinctive guitar player, constantly experimenting by owning freshly devices & guitars. Akkerman's distinctive guitar healthy is characterized by his pioneering utilize of volume swells which produce the smooth, fluty, sustained note. He writes for the Dutch magazine GitaarPlus.