Akkerman won a scholarship to study at the Amsterdam Music Lyceum for five years, developing his composition and arranging skills.

At fourteen he was in the rock band Johnny and his Cellar Rockers with his friend Pierre van der Linden.

[3][4] The live album At the Rainbow (1973) and the band's fourth outing, Hamburger Concerto (1974), were certified silver by the BPI for selling 60,000 copies each.

[5] In late 1973 Akkerman was voted Best Guitar by readers of UK weekly Melody Maker, beating favorites such as John McLaughlin, Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore.

During the 1990s and in the 2000s he continued playing with his own band, and also as a solo musician, accompanied by pre-recorded computer-generated background (Roland synthesizers and Linn drums).

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.