Zappa, Frank Then: Zappa was born December 21st, 1940 in Baltimore. He could be noted for being the most prolific recording artist of his time, an accomplished composer, leader of the Mothers Of Invention but most often he is remembered for his obscure sense of humor which found it's way into his music. Going into 1980, Zappa had already released 22 albums of material on his own Barking Pumpkin label. He started the decade releasing 3 albums in 1981 - two in the same month (Return Of The Shut Up 'N Play 'Yer Guitar, Tinsel Town Rebellion and You Are What You Is). Oddly enough his biggest and only chart hit would be "Valley Girl" recorded with his daughter Moon Unit on vocals and Steve Vai providing guitar work from the album Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch. Zappa appeared before the Senate Commerce, Technology & Transportation Committee in Washington, D.C., challenging the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) pressure group and denouncing their plan to label albums in 1985. He would release outtakes of his testimony on his next album Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention. Many other notable albums followed including attacks on televangelism and the pseudo-theatrical Thingfish which could be known as his most extreme showing. He then documents his final world tour as the extended live album Broadway The Hard Way. The decade ends with the release of his autobiography, The Real Frank Zappa Book. Now: Zappa met with Czech president, Vaclav Havel, who appoints him Trade & Culture Emissary in 1990. An 8-CD release of bootlegged material gets released to the public. During the "Frankfurt Festival '92" - Frankfurt's Ensemble Modern introduces Zappa's "The Yellow Shark". The second night of the show, Zappa flies back to Los Angeles due to illness. He would be later diagnosed with prostate cancer and plans for his massive 50th bithday celebration are scrapped. December 4th, 1993 Francis Vincent Zappa succumbs to the disease.