Frank Zappa performed music.
Frank Vincent Zappa ( December 21 , 1940 -- December 4 , 1993 ) was an American musician , activist and filmmaker . As a self-taught composer and performer , Zappa 's diverse musical influences led him to create music that was sometimes difficult to categorize . His honors include an induction into the 1995 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the 1997 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by The Recording Academy to `` performers who , during their lifetimes , have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording . ''