Occupation(s) Musician Role Musician | Name Ray Collins Instruments Vocals, harmonica | |
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Born November 19, 1936
Pomona, California, United States ( 1936-11-19 ) Genres Rock, rock and roll, doo-wop Associated acts Frank Zappa, Mothers of Invention Died December 24, 2012, Claremont, California, United States Albums Freak Out!, We're Only in It for the Money, Absolutely Free, ’Tis the Season to Be Jelly, Yesu Aleti | ||
Music group The Mothers of Invention | ||
Ray collins nature boy
Ray Collins (November 19, 1936 – December 24, 2012) was an American musician.
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Collins grew up in Pomona, California singing in his school choir, the son of a local police officer. He quit high school to get married.
Collins started his musical career singing falsetto backup vocals for various doo-wop groups in the Los Angeles area in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including Little Julian Herrera and the Tigers. In 1964, Collins, drummer Jimmy Carl Black, bassist Roy Estrada, saxophonist Dave Coronado, and guitarist Ray Hunt formed The Soul Giants.
Hunt was eventually replaced by Frank Zappa, and the group evolved into the Mothers of Invention. Ray was the lead vocalist on most songs for their early albums, including Freak Out!, Absolutely Free, Cruising with Ruben & the Jets and Uncle Meat. He additionally provided harmonica on Freak Out!. In 1968 Ray quit The Mothers of Invention, but continued to contribute to other Zappa projects through the mid-1970s.
Collins resided in Claremont California, until his death on December 24, 2012. He was 76 years old.