DRUMMER JIMMY CARL BLACK (ZAPPA & CAPT. BEEFART) DIED
Black, whose Cheyenne heritage was from his mother, was born on February 1, 1938, in El Paso, Texas (TX), but grew up in nearby Anthony, TX. A soloist trumpeter in high school, he gave it up for drums after seeing Elvis’ effect on women. Black played in a country-western trio while in the Air Force in the 1950s. In 1964, in Los Angeles, he formed the Soul Giants who became the Mothers of Invention after guitarist Frank Zappa joined the group. When the Mothers broke up, Black released 2 albums with Geronimo Black (a group named after his son) before joining Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band world tour. In Austin, TX, he established the Gentlemen of Colour, a building-and-decorating business. Black played with guitarist Eugene Chadbourne and later the Grandmothers—The Mothers sans Zappa. In 1995, he began playing with the Muffin Men, British interpreters of Zappa and Beefheart. He was working on an autobiography, For Mother’s Sake when he died in Siegsdorf, Germany.
Source: Betsy Reed, "Jimmy Carl Black Obituary". The Guardian 11/4/2008. Retrieved 1/1/2004, https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/nov/04/popandrock
Photo: Bryan Ledgard, 8/12/2005. Permissive use.
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