- Akkerman joined the Thijs van Leer Trio in late 1969 which, as the nascent band Focus, was the pit band for the Dutch theatrical production of Hair (recorded as an album in 1969). Under the name Focus, the band explored progressive rock, an amalgam of classical, jazz, and rock music, and had hits in the seventies such as "Hocus Pocus" and "Sylvia".
- He started playing the accordion before turning to the guitar. Around age ten he took guitar lessons and his first single, with the Friendship Sextet, was released in 1960, when he was thirteen years old.
- Akkerman was a session musician with André Hazes and worked with Alan Price, Herman Brood, Peter Banks, Jack Bruce, Charlie Byrd, Phil Collins, Paco de Lucía, Ice-T, and B.B. King.
- At fourteen he was in the rock band Johnny and his Cellar Rockers with his friend Pierre van der Linden. Both then joined The Hunters. After seeing a performance by classical guitarist Julian Bream, he became interested in renaissance music and the lute. He started the band Brainbox with Van der Linden, Kaz Lux, and André Reijnen. They recorded for Parlophone.
- In the late 1990s, after an absence of nearly 20 years, he was persuaded to tour the UK again.
- He was the son of a scrap iron trader in Amsterdam.
- He won the Golden Harp award (Netherlands, January 2005). The Golden Harp is awarded annually to Dutch musicians for their entire oeuvre.
- In 1992, he was involved in a serious car accident, but he resumed playing in 1993.
- In 1973 Akkerman was voted Best Guitarist in the World by readers of the UK magazine Melody Maker.
- He first found international commercial success with the band Focus, which he co-founded with Thijs van Leer. After leaving Focus, he continued as a solo musician, adding jazz fusion influences.
- In the early 1980s he began to experiment with a guitar synthesizer, as on the album Oil in the Family.
- He became Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands, 28 December 2012).
- Akkerman won a scholarship to study at the Amsterdam Music Lyceum for five years, developing his composition and arranging skills.
- With manufacturer Framus he helped produce one of the first signature guitar models.
- His concept album Eli, recorded with Kaz Lux on vocals, won the Dutch Edison Award for best album in 1976. On the album, Akkerman experimented with a 12-string guitar tuned in parallel fifths.
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