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Ike Willis, Frank Zappa’s longstanding co-guitarist and singer, has died aged 70. The news was shared by his family in a statement to Rolling Stone, who confirmed that the artist passed away in North Las Vegas on May 16.
No specific cause of death was mentioned, but in 2021, Willis publicly revealed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“Ike was not only a great father, but a musician whose unmistakable voice, humor, and artistry left a lasting imprint on the music world,” reads the statement.
“His years of collaboration with Frank Zappa made him a cherished figure within the Zappa community, where fans embraced him not only for his talent, but for his generosity, wit, and the joy he brought to every stage.
“Beyond his work with Zappa, Ike continued to inspire new generations of musicians. His time mentoring young artists – including his stint teaching at School of Rock – reflected his deep belief that music should be shared, taught, and passed forward with love.”
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Willis started playing guitar at the age of eight, and, as a teenager, was obsessed with all things prog and jazz fusion.
Willis first connected with Zappa while he was studying political science at Washington University, after they ended up meeting backstage at one of Zappa’s concerts.
Speaking about this encounter, Willis told Andrew Greenaway for the book, Frank Talk: The Inside Stories Of Zappa's Other People, “Frank takes me to his dressing room, hands me his guitar and says, ‘Do you know any of my shit?’ And I said, ‘Yeah,’ and he said, ‘Well, play me something.’”
Willis passed his impromptu audition, and after a successful formal audition in California later on in the year, he was officially part of the Zappa circus from 1978 until his last tour in 1988.
His first major project with Zappa was the ambitious rock opera and triple album, Joe’s Garage, released in 1979, where he voiced the eponymous character, Joe.
Beyond Joe’s Garage, Willis was a constant in Zappa’s circle – especially considering the rotating roster of musicians – appearing in Tinsel Town Rebellion, The Man From Utopia, Shut Up ‘n Play Yer Guitar, as well as Zappa’s off-Broadway-styled conceptual musical Thing-Fish.
Willis also had other projects, including his own outfit, the Ike Willis Band, which released Should’a Gone Before I Left in 1987, followed by Dirty Picture in 1998. However, since Zappa’s death in 1993, Willis was primarily involved in various tribute projects.
“I know that on any given night, we could be somebody’s first exposure to this music. I don’t take that responsibility lightly,” Willis told JamBase in a 2018 interview, when reflecting on his career and involvement in Zappa tribute gigs.
“Because there is always going to be somebody out there who is experiencing Frank’s music for the first time, and there are going to be people. Some of them bring their kids or their grandkids, it always happens.”
