This Day in History: 2012-12-24

(November 19, 1936 – December 24, 2012

Ray Collins, American rock vocalist (Mothers of Invention), dies at 76 of Cardiac Arrest

While the Mothers of Invention helped pave the way for avant-garde rock, Collins started his music career singing in the R&B cover band the Soul Giants. Collins met Zappa in 1961 after seeing him perform at the Sportsman Tavern in his native Pomona; Zappa later joined the group after Collins fired the guitarist Ray Hunt.