Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa was an American musician, composer, bandleader, and satirist.
* He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 21, 1940.
* Zappa's work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experimentation, musical virtuosity, and satire of American culture.
* In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestral, and musique concrète works.
* He also produced almost all of the 60-plus albums that he released with his band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist.
* Zappa also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers.
* He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.
* Zappa died of prostate cancer on December 4, 1993, at the age of 52.
* He is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.