Born: 15 January 1941, Glendale, California, USA Died: 17 December 2010, 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. Captain Beefheart, aka Don Van Vliet; vocalist, harp-player, saxophonist, flautist, songwriter, lyricist, poet & painter. Frontman of The Magic Band and artist with a dozen official albums and more besides. A career path interwoven with , followed by secluded 'retirement' with his wife in 1982 - when he began painting full-time. He maintained an affinity with wild life throughout his life and was a keen conservationist. He forged a successful career as a painter, exhibiting in galleries in New York, the UK & Europe, before dying of complications from multiple sclerosis.