Ray Collins (rock musician)

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Ray Collins was born on November 19, 1936. He started his musical career singing falsetto backup vocals for various 'doo-wop' groups in the Los Angeles area, including Little Julian Herrera and the Tigers. In the early sixties, Collins, drummer Jimmy Carl Black and bassist Roy Estrada joined with Frank Zappa to form the Soul Giants, which, under Zappa's leadership, turned into the Mothers of Invention. Ray was the lead vocalist on the Mothers early albums, including Freak Out!, Absolutely Free and Cruising with Ruben & the Jets. He contributed to other Zappa projects through the mid-1970s.