Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz
The steadfast rhythmic engine behind 'Weird Al' Yankovic, providing the perfect, precise backbone for four decades of musical parody.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American drummer·Birthday: August 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Jon Schwartz isn't just Weird Al's drummer; he is the band's institutional memory and metronomic anchor. Their partnership began in 1980 on the Dr. Demento show, where Schwartz's improvised percussion on a accordion case for 'Another One Rides the Bus' proved he could think on his feet—a necessity when your job is to flawlessly replicate everything from polka to thrash metal at a moment's notice. Dubbed 'Bermuda' by Yankovic for his shirt at that first session, he has been the constant presence on every album, tour, and video since, his playing characterized by its crisp accuracy and chameleonic adaptability. Beyond the kit, Schwartz has served as the band's archivist, photographer, and webmaster, meticulously documenting their unique journey in popular culture. In an industry of flux, the partnership between Yankovic and Schwartz stands as a remarkable testament to loyalty and shared comedic vision, proving that the straight man is just as vital to the joke.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Jon was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Jon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has performed on every one of 'Weird Al' Yankovic's studio albums since his 1983 debut, a continuous collaboration spanning over 40 years.
- Serves as the band's archivist and historian, maintaining a vast collection of memorabilia and the official band website.
- His precise drumming requires mastering a vast array of musical styles to accurately parody original songs.
- Played a key role in the early viral success of 'Weird Al' through his participation on the Dr. Demento radio show.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Bermuda' comes from the Bermuda shorts he was wearing when he first met 'Weird Al.'
He is an avid photographer and has taken most of the official photos for the band's albums and promotional material.
Schwartz is a licensed pilot and sometimes flies the band to gigs in his private plane.
Before joining Yankovic, he was a drummer for the touring company of the musical 'Godspell.'
“My job is to make the accordion sound like a full rock band.”
