Frank Zappa American Singer Born 1940 in Baltimore
Frank Zappa · guitarist and singer · American
Biography
Frank Zappa was born on 21 December 1940 in Baltimore. He was an American singer. The date of his death is 4 December 1993; He was 52. He belonged to The Mothers of Invention.
Early life
His education includes Antelope Valley High School, Mission Bay High School and Chaffey College.
Career
His discography here counts 127 albums and 10 singles between 1966 and 2026. The earliest release on record is Who Are the Brain Police? (1966), and the most recent is Zappa '66 Vol. 1: Live at TTG Studios (2026). In genre terms, the records list rock music and experimental music. He played guitar and keyboard instrument. The label on record is Warner Bros. He also had 9 screen credits on record, including The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels (1988) and Video from Hell (1987).
Recognition
Frank Zappa’s wins include a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, awarded in 1997. The list of wins also includes the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1995).
Personal life
Marriages on record are to Gail Zappa (1967 to 1993, widowed). He was the father of Dweezil Zappa, Diva Zappa, Moon Zappa and Ahmet Zappa.
Groups and bands
- The Mothers of Invention
Discography
137 releases| Year | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Zappa '66 Vol. 1: Live at TTG Studios | Album |
| 2024 | Whisky a Go Go 1968 | Album |
| 2022 | Zappa/Erie | Album |
| 2021 | Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show | Album |
| 2020 | Halloween 81 – Live at The Palladium, New York City | Album |
| 2020 | The Mothers 1970 | Album |
| 2020 | Zappa – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Album |
| 2019 | Halloween 73 | Album |
| 2019 | The Hot Rats Sessions | Album |
| 2018 | The Roxy Performances | Album |
| 2016 | Chicago '78 | Album |
| 2016 | Little Dots | Album |
| 2016 | Meat Light | Album |
| 2016 | The Crux Of The Biscuit | Album |
| 2016 | ZAPPAtite | Album |
Show all 137 releases
| Year | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Dance Me This | Album |
| 2015 | Frank Zappa For President | Album |
| 2015 | Joe's Camouflage | Album |
| 2015 | Roxy by Proxy | Album |
| 2015 | Roxy The Soundtrack | Album |
| 2013 | A Token of His Extreme Soundtrack | Album |
| 2013 | Road Tapes, Venue 3 | Album |
| 2012 | AAAFNRAA Baby Snakes The Compleat Soundtrack | Album |
| 2012 | Finer Moments | Album |
| 2012 | Road Tapes, Venue 1 | Album |
| 2012 | Understanding America | Album |
| 2011 | Carnegie Hall | Album |
| 2011 | Feeding the Monkies at Ma Maison | Album |
| 2011 | The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAAAM Birthday Bundle 2011 | Album |
| 2010 | Congress Shall Make No Law... | Album |
| 2010 | Greasy Love Songs | Album |
| 2010 | Hammersmith Odeon | Album |
| 2010 | The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAA Birthday Bundle 2010 | Album |
| 2009 | Beat the Boots III | Album |
| 2009 | Philly '76 | Album |
| 2009 | The Lumpy Money Project/Object | Album |
| 2008 | Joe's Menage | Album |
| 2008 | One Shot Deal | Album |
| 2008 | The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAA Birthday Bundle | Album |
| 2007 | Buffalo | Album |
| 2007 | The Dub Room Special! | Album |
| 2007 | Wazoo | Album |
| 2006 | Imaginary Diseases | Album |
| 2006 | The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle | Album |
| 2006 | The MOFO Project/Object | Album |
| 2006 | Trance-Fusion | Album |
| 2005 | Joe's XMasage | Album |
| 2004 | Joe's Corsage | Album |
| 2004 | Joe's Domage | Album |
| 2004 | Quaudiophiliac | Album |
| 2003 | Halloween | Album |
| 2002 | FZ:OZ | Album |
| 1999 | Everything Is Healing Nicely | Album |
| 1999 | Son of Cheep Thrills | Album |
| 1998 | Cheap Thrills | Album |
| 1998 | Cucamonga | Album |
| 1998 | Mystery Disc | Album |
| 1997 | Have I Offended Someone? | Album |
| 1997 | Strictly Genteel | Album |
| 1996 | Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute | Album |
| 1996 | Läther | Album |
| 1996 | The Lost Episodes | Album |
| 1995 | Strictly Commercial | Album |
| 1994 | Civilization Phaze III | Album |
| 1993 | The Yellow Shark | Album |
| 1992 | Beat the Boots II | Album |
| 1992 | Disconnected Synapses | Album |
| 1992 | Playground Psychotics | Album |
| 1992 | Swiss Cheese/Fire! | Album |
| 1992 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 | Album |
| 1992 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 | Album |
| 1991 | Beat the Boots | Album |
| 1991 | Make a Jazz Noise Here | Album |
| 1991 | Saarbrücken 1978 | Album |
| 1991 | The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life | Album |
| 1991 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 | Album |
| 1989 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 | Album |
| 1988 | Broadway the Hard Way | Album |
| 1988 | Guitar | Album |
| 1988 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 | Album |
| 1988 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 | Album |
| 1987 | London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. II | Album |
| 1987 | Peaches en Regalia | Single |
| 1987 | The Guitar World According to Frank Zappa | Album |
| 1987 | The Old Masters | Album |
| 1986 | Does Humor Belong in Music? | Album |
| 1986 | Jazz from Hell | Album |
| 1986 | The Old Masters Box Two | Album |
| 1985 | Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention | Album |
| 1985 | The Old Masters Box One | Album |
| 1984 | Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger | Album |
| 1984 | Francesco Zappa | Album |
| 1984 | Them or Us | Album |
| 1984 | Thing-Fish | Album |
| 1983 | Baby Snakes | Album |
| 1983 | London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. I | Album |
| 1983 | The Man from Utopia | Album |
| 1982 | Cocaine Decisions | Single |
| 1982 | Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch | Album |
| 1982 | Valley Girl | Single |
| 1981 | Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar | Album |
| 1981 | Tinsel Town Rebellion | Album |
| 1981 | You Are What You Is | Album |
| 1979 | Bobby Brown | Single |
| 1979 | Dancin' Fool | Single |
| 1979 | Joe's Garage | Album |
| 1979 | Joe's Garage | Single |
| 1979 | Orchestral Favorites | Album |
| 1979 | Sheik Yerbouti | Album |
| 1979 | Sleep Dirt | Album |
| 1978 | Studio Tan | Album |
| 1978 | Zappa in New York | Album |
| 1976 | Disco Boy | Single |
| 1976 | Zoot Allures | Album |
| 1975 | Bongo Fury | Album |
| 1975 | One Size Fits All | Album |
| 1974 | Apostrophe (') | Album |
| 1974 | Cosmik Debris | Single |
| 1974 | Don't Eat the Yellow Snow Suite | Single |
| 1974 | Roxy & Elsewhere | Album |
| 1973 | Road Tapes, Venue 2 | Album |
| 1972 | Just Another Band from L.A. | Album |
| 1972 | The Grand Wazoo | Album |
| 1972 | Waka/Jawaka | Album |
| 1971 | 200 Motels | Album |
| 1971 | Fillmore East – June 1971 | Album |
| 1970 | Burnt Weeny Sandwich | Album |
| 1970 | Chunga's Revenge | Album |
| 1970 | Freaks & Motherfu*k@%! | Album |
| 1970 | Weasels Ripped My Flesh | Album |
| 1969 | Hot Rats | Album |
| 1969 | Uncle Meat | Album |
| 1968 | Lumpy Gravy | Album |
| 1968 | The **** of the Mothers | Album |
| 1966 | Who Are the Brain Police? | Single |
| 200 Motels: The Suites | Album | |
| Greggery Peccary & Other Persuasions | Album |
Awards and nominations
2 won, 0 nominated| Year | Award | For | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | |
| 1995 | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | Won |
Filmography
14 credits| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words | Film | |
| 2015 | Roxy the Movie | Director, Writer | Film |
| 2015– | Star Darlings | Writer | TV series |
| 2005 | The Dub Room Special | Director | Film |
| 1988 | The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels | Writer, Director | Film |
| 1987 | The Amazing Mr. Bickford | Director, Writer | Film |
| 1987 | Uncle Meat | Director, Writer | Film |
| 1987 | Video from Hell | Director, Writer | Film |
| 1985 | Does Humor Belong in Music? | Director | Film |
| 1979 | Baby Snakes | Director, Writer | Film |
| 1971 | 200 Motels | Director, Writer | Film |
| 1968 | Head | Film | |
| 1968 | You Are What You Eat | Film | |
| The Art of Dissent | Film |
Frank Zappa on Social Media
Counts with the date they were readFrank Zappa Photos
-
Photo: Eddie Berman · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons -
Photo: Eddie Berman · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons -
Photo: Chsh1988 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons -
Photo: Photographer-Jay L. Handler · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons -
Photo: Heinrich Klaffs · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons -
Photo: Fotopersbureau De Boer · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons -
Photo: ThomasFHH · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons -
Photo: Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Frequently asked questions
How old was Frank Zappa at the time of death?
Frank Zappa died on 4 December 1993 at the age of 52. He was born on 21 December 1940.
What is Frank Zappa known for?
Frank Zappa was known as a former member of The Mothers of Invention.
What is Frank Zappa’s nationality?
Frank Zappa was American, born in Baltimore.
How tall was Frank Zappa?
Frank Zappa was 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) tall.
Who was Frank Zappa married to?
Frank Zappa’s marriages on record are to Gail Zappa (1967 to 1993).
Has Frank Zappa won any awards?
Yes. 2 awards are on record, including Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1997).
Sources
- Wikidata (Q127330), accessed October 2026
- Follower counts: dated individually above
- Photo: Eddie Berman · CC BY 2.0
Last checked by the Wiki of Celebs editorial team
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