George Lernis was born in Nicosia. He became interested in hand percussion at an early age. At the age of 13 he started attending formal drum-set lessons and by the age of 15 he was playing music with several bands in the styles of Jazz and Greek traditional music.

In 2001 he came to the United States to study music at the Berklee College of Music. He graduated in 2005 with a bachelor degree in Jazz Performance. In 2008, he was accepted at the Longy School of Music with a full scholarship from where he received a master’s degree in Modern American Music. During his graduate studies he studied privately with master drummer Bob Gullotti and bassist John Lockwood. He has recorded and collaborated with artists such as Antonio Sanchez, Dave Liebman and Anat Cohen. He is a member of the Pharos ensemble, performing and preserving the musical traditions of the Asia Minor.

In 2008 he released his first album as a bandleader, entitled "Shapes of Nature".