Obit's Dead of the Day: Frank Zappa, December 21, 1940 - December 4, 1993

Frank V Zappa, rock star, serious composer and head of the avant garde band Mothers of Invention), died on December 4, 1993 at age 52 of prostate cancer. While he was considered a rocker at the beginning of his musical career – probably because of his resembling a wild-eyed black haired Jesus, Zappa took on myriad diverse musical styles in his eclectic career: rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, improvisational, etc. His songs often reflected a strong point of view politically, and a staunch anti-organized religion platform. He’s also known for the unique names of his kids: Dweezil, Ahmet, Diva, and of course, Moon Unit, who “rapped” on his most famous song Valley Girl. Who can ever forget “Gag me with a spoon!” – ?

Also having died on December 4 were German/American political theorist Hannah Arendt (1975), and The Wizard of Oz’s cowardly lion Bert Lahr, who died in 1967 at age 72.