Jeff Ament

Jeff Ament, bassist for the band Pearl Jam, grew up in of Big Sandy, Montana. He began playing the bass guitar as a teenager, often playing along with The Clash and The Police records. After quitting college at the University of Montana, Jeff relocated to Seattle in the early 1980s with his band Deranged Diction. He became acquainted with fellow Seattle musicians Mark Arm and Steve Turner, and he was asked to join their new band Green River in 1984. Green River is commonly considered to be the first grunge band. The band achieved a considerable local reputation, but in-fighting within the band led to a break-up in 1987. After taking part in several failed bands, Jeff finally became part of the group he was looking for and Pearl Jam was formed in 1990.

Aside from music, Jeff is a skilled skateboarder and basketball player and a talented graphic artist. At the University of Montana, he studied art and played basketball.

Jeff currently lives in Seattle and Missoula and owns a small island on Flathead Lake, where he enjoys wakeboarding.