Don Van Vliet

Born: 15th January 1941, Glendale, California, USA. Died: 17th December 2010, of complications from multiple sclerosis, in Arcata, California, USA. First recorded appearance: "A Low Forceps Delivery", featuring Don Glen Vliet, at Glendale Research Hospital 16:25 hours on 15/01/41. Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart, vocalist, harp-player, saxophonist, flautist, songwriter, lyricist, poet & painter. Frontman of The Magic Band and artist with a dozen official albums and more besides. An often perverse career path, interwoven with Frank Zappa, followed by 'retirement' in 1982 when he went to live in seclusion with his wife Jan Van Vliet and paint full-time.