Frank Zappa Biography

Francis Vincent Zappa, Jr. was born on December 21,1940 in Baltimore. His father was Francis Vincent a metallurgist and meteorologist. His mother was Rose Marie a librarian. He was interested in music early in his life. At the age of twelve he started learning orchestral percussion. He had a six-month stint at Chaffey College in Alta Loma, California.

In the early sixties he played at nightclubs and bars. He produced music for a couple of low-budget films like 'The World's Greatest Sinner'. In 1964 he joined a band known as the Soul Giants. After bagging a record contract 'The Soul Giants' renamed themselves 'The Mothers of Invention'. Tom Wilson of MGM hired them. They recorded the double album 'Freak Out' which was released in 1966. He satired on the 1960s' hippie movement, especially in the 1968 album 'We're Only in It for the Money'.

In the seventies he continued producing music for various artists. In addition he began developing his own solo works. In 1970, he reassembled a new edition of the Mothers, having former Turtles lead singers Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan as frontmen. The lineup moved the group more in the direction of X-rated comedy, particularly on the album Fillmore Eas in: June 1971. During a performance at the Rainbow Theatre in London, Frank was pushed from the stage by a delirious fan and seriously injured.

While he recovered, Frank released several albums, then he re-established the Mothers with himself as lead singer and made pop/rock albums such as 'Over-nite Sensation' that were among his best-selling records ever. By the end of the '70s, Frank was recording on his own labels, distributed in some cases by the majors, and he had attracted a consistent cult following for both his humor and his complex music. Between 1970 and 1971 he released 'Chunga's revenge' and his double album soundtrack to the film '200 Motels'. In 1972 released two Jazz oriented singles 'WakaJawaka' and 'The Grand Wazoo'. His first movie Baby Snakes premiered on December 21, 1979. He got the Grammy award nomination for best rock instrumental in 1979 for 'Rat Tomago'.

In 1979 he released his masterpiece epic double album 'Joe's Garage'. It was released on his own label Zappa Records. In 1980 he released 'Tinseltown Rebellion' a mixture of complex instrumentals. In 1981 Frank released three instrumental albums 'Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar', 'Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar Some More', and 'The Return of the Son of Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar'. In 1987 he won a Grammy award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for the album Jazz From Hell. In 1988 he started a world tour.

Personal Life

He married Kathryn 'Kay' Sherman in 1960. They divorced in 1964. In 1967 he married Adelaide Gail Sloatman. They had four children whose names were Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen.

In 1991 it was revealed that he was afflicted with cancer. He died in December 1993 of prostate cancer. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.