Don Preston

From Zappa Wiki Jawaka
Revision as of 08:47, 1 April 2006 by Duncan (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

When I met Zappa he was kind of a nerd, but he was smart enough to disguise that by street talk and being into R&B.


Donald Ward Preston Born 21st September 1932 in Flint, MI, into a family of musicians, studied music from an early age.

During is military service he was stationed at Trieste, Italy, where he shared a room with Buzz Gardner, his musical career started playing piano with Herbie Mann. Throughout the 1950's he played with various artists ranging from Nat King Cole to Paul and Carla Bley.

By the 1960's Preston was experimenting with new developments in electronic keyboards.

As a member of several Mothers line-ups Preston provided piano, keyboards, synthesizer, and/or vocal for:

Absolutely Free

We're Only In It For The Money

Cruising With Ruben & The Jets

Uncle Meat

Burnt Weeny Sandwich

Weasels Ripped My Flesh

Fillmore East, June 1971

Just Another Band From L.A.

Waka/Jawaka

The Grand Wazoo

Roxy & Elsewhere

You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1

You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3

You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 4

You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 5

You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6

Playground Psychotics

Ahead Of Their Time

The Lost Episodes

Mystery Disc

Quaudiophiliac

The Ark (BTB)

Unmitigated Audacity (BTB)

'Tis The Season To Be Jelly (BTB)

Electric Aunt Jemima (BTB)

Swiss Cheese/Fire! (BTB)

Our Man In Nirvana (BTB)

Don can be seen in the Zappa movies:

200 Motels (The Film)

Uncle Meat (The Film)

Video From Hell

The True Story Of 200 Motels


He played keyboard on the soundtrack of Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now".

He is a bandmember of The Grandmothers.