Born Frank Vincent Zappa in Baltimore Maryland, he was a distinctive composer, singer, guitarist, and director.  IN his 30-year long career he rarely achieved commercial success.  He released more than 60 albums, and had hundreds of live recordings spanning his career.  He won a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for his album “Jazz From Hell” in 1987. 

His father was a chemist and a mathematician working in a chemical warfare facility.  Frank grew up with gas masks in the house, and the themes of germs, and warfare and secrets forever permeated his music.  He was creative and a young age and composed, arranged, and conducted music in high school.   

In his professional music career Zappa explored ‘cut up’ editing, tube distortion guitar solos, complex instrumental compositions and rock tunes.  He released 57 main albums and another 15 albums have been released posthumously.