Terry Bozzio

American rock and jazz band drummer whose career highlights included spots with Frank Zappa (1975-1978) and “Missing Persons” (1980-1986). Bozzio launched his career as the drummer for Frank Zappa’s backing band, but would go on to become one of rock’s most skilled and versatile session men, forming one of new wave’s most visually exciting bands, “Missing Persons”, along with then-wife Dale Bozzio.

Bozzio was born into a musical family in San Francisco, CA, to Italian-American parents and has a sister, Carol, who is a song writer and singer with the group Chatterbox. He began by playing on makeshift drums at age six, and started formal lessons (after convincing his father) at age 13. His biggest inspiration was the Beatle’s infamous appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Bozzio’s father, a salesman, had been a talented accordion player and his mother had sung in her own high school jazz band. Bozzio majored in music at Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo, CA, where he earned a musical scholarship. He then graduated with a musical degree from the College of Marin, CA. He filled in his spare time by playing in various local garage bands during the mid-late ‘60s. In the early ‘70s he landed gigs in such rock musicals as “Godspell” and “Walking in my Time,” in addition to playing in several jazz-fusion bands. Backing trumpeter Luis Gasca, he appeared on his first record with the 1972 release, “Born to Love You.” In 1975 Bozzio got his biggest career break when he auditioned for and got a spot drumming for Frank Zappa’s “Mothers of Invention” band. During the three years with Zappa he was featured on ten albums and in countless tours, also appearing in the Zappa concert movie, “Baby Snakes.”

After leaving Zappa in 1978, he tried spots with various other bands including “Group 87” and hard-rocking “Thin Lizzy,” but things just didn’t work out.