Captain Beefheart, also known as Don Van Vliet, was a great inventor of modern music. He used distinctive rhythms, absurdist lyrics, and an unholy compilation of free jazz, latter-day classical music, Delta blues, and rock & roll to create a singular piece of work practically unrivaled in its audacious innovation.
An American singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter, Beefheart, famed for his enigmatic image, was known to create a mythology about his life and to exert nearly dictatorial control over his backing musicians. Despite his lack of commercial success, he developed a cult following as a "very significant" and "incalculable" impact on new wave, punk, and experimental rock artists.
Since there is much to explore and know about the legendary singer, stick with us till the end to go through Don Van Vliet's short biography.
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Began Painting At Age Three
The singer was born Don Glen Vliet on 15th January 1941, in Glendale, California, to his father, Glen Alonzo Vliet, a service station owner of Dutch heritage from Kansas, and mother, Willie Sue Vliet (née Warfield), a native of Arkansas. He is said to be related to Peter van Vliet, a Dutch painter who knew Rembrandt.
Furthermore, Van Vliet claimed to be connected to author and adventurer Richard Halliburton and American actor Slim Pickens. Besides, the music sensation began painting and sculpting when he was three years old. His works were inspired by his obsession with wildlife, specifically dinosaurs, fish, lemurs, and African mammals.
At nine, Beefheart won a children's sculpting competition in Griffith Park held by a local tutor, Agostinho Rodrigues, for the Los Angeles Zoo. Local newspaper clippings of his juvenile sculpting successes are recreated in the Splinters book and are also included in the 2004-released Riding Some Kind of Unusual Skull Sleigh boxed CD work.
Captain Beefheart won a children's sculpting competition at the age of nine in Griffith Park. Image Source: Flickr.
Besides talking about the songwriter's educational background, Captain mentioned that he had never attended public school. After his father's heart attack, Vliet dropped out of high school during his final year to assist and support the family.
Furthermore, as a student of Antelope Valley High School, Van met a fellow teen, Frank Zappa, and they became good friends. Later, the two bonded over their love for Chicago blues and R&B. Furthermore, although he enrolled as an art major at Antelope Valley College, Beefheart dropped out the following year.
Captain Beefheart Net Worth And Career
Captain Beefheart started his professional career in 1964 and was associated with several labels: A&M, Blue Thumb, Buddah, ABC, Straight, Reprise, Virgin, DiscReet, Mercury, Warner Bros., Major League, and Epic. In early 1965, Vliet was invited to sing with a group led by Alex Snouffer, a Lancaster rhythm and blues guitarist.
After joining the original Magic Band, Vliet went by Don Van Vliet, while Snouffer became Alex St. Clair (sometimes called Claire). Beefheart and the Magic Band signed with A&M in 1966 and recorded two singles. Furthermore, the musician has released 13 solo albums and collaborated with several outstanding musicians.
Hence, Don Glen Vliet's earnings from his album sales were substantial, which must have allowed him to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Similarly, Captain Beefheart's net worth must have been notable, and his fortune primarily came from his outstanding musical career.
Moreover, Van Vliet released numerous singles and albums and collaborated with many musicians. Now, let's look at some of his album pricing in the table below.
| Albums | Audio CD | Vinyl |
| Trout Mask Replica | $49.99 | $38.1 |
| Safe As Milk | $16.99 | $33.27 |
| Mirror Man Sessions | $14.29 | $163.73 |
| Strictly Personal | $9.14 | $66.00 |
Table Source: Amazon
Overall, the singer continued his music legacy until 1982, with Ice Cream for Crow being his final record. Then, Van Vliet left music to pursue a new career as a painter.
READ MORE: Frank Zappa's Wife Gail Zappa - Interesting Facts About The Late Celebrity
Income From Painting Career
Besides earning money from his musical projects, Captain Beefheart's fortune also came from his periodic painting career. He remained engaged in visual art throughout his musical career. Van Vliet included his paintings, which were frequently reminiscent of Franz Kline, on numerous of his albums. Skeleton Breath, Scorpion Blush, a compilation of his poetry, paintings, and drawings, was published by Vliet in 1987.
Furthermore, during the Magic Band's 1972 tour of the United Kingdom, Beefheart had his first art show at Liverpool's Bluecoat Gallery. In 1985, he had his first serious painting show at the Mary Boone Gallery in New York. Likewise, Vliet began associating with Galerie Michael Werner in Cologne in the early 1980s.
In addition, exhibits of his late-1990s paintings were staged in New York in 2009 and 2010. However, later he hardly displayed any of his artworks since he destroyed any that did not satisfy him.
Was Married For Over Four Decades
It sounds romantic and cute when we hear passionate love stories get successful; however, most of us fail to notice that behind every successful relationship, it involves lots of forgiveness, patience, love, and loyalty. It is easy to hear and cherish these love stories, but to be in one is a responsibility. Similarly, the magnificent songwriter also shared a happy romantic relationship with his beloved spouse, Janet Van Vliet.
The two were married for more than 40 years, and although their exact wedding details have not been revealed on the Internet, we can safely say that they worked hard in their relationship to survive against all odds. Moreover, Captain Beefheart's wife occasionally wrote songs with him. They married shortly after the release of Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band- Trout Mask Replica.
Unfortunately, the lovebirds could be together only until December 17, 2010, as Janet's husband, Van Vliet, died at a hospital in Arcata, California. The reason behind the singer's death was complications from multiple sclerosis. On the day of his death, Dweezil Zappa dedicated the song "Willie the Pimp" to Beefheart at the "Zappa Plays Zappa" event at the Beacon Theater in New York City.
Overall, the legendary singer/songwriter has left behind a musical legacy, and during his lifetime, he has inspired millions of people to make music. Although Captain Beefheart is no more physically with us, his music will stay alive with us forever. And maybe that's the magic of music; it never dies.
Trivia And Facts
- He didn't share any children with his wife.
- Van Vliet frequently expressed concern for and support for environmentalist matters and causes, particularly animal welfare.
- The musician was the subject of at least two documentaries, the 2006 independent production Captain Beefheart: Under Review and The Artist Formerly Known as Captain Beefheart, narrated by John Peel.
