Roy  Estrada's Bio  

A native of Orange County, CA. at 10 yrs. old,  Roy received formal accordion lessons, for 2 years, then guitar for a couple months, before he permanently switched to bass. When he was 16, he put together the ViCounts, an 11 piece band who performed in and around Los Angeles and Orange County, mostly at dance halls playing top 40, popular Latin & Rock and Big Band music.  After a 2 year run, he started performing with the Bill Black Combo and eventually put together his own group, the Soul Giants. Jim Black joined the group, because their former drummer, could not perform full time. When they were hired to perform and debut this new club named The Broadside, Ray Collins began singing with them. In 1964 their guitarist was drafted and vocalist Ray Collins, invited his friend to audition. His name was Frank Zappa.The group, after working on Frank's songs, soon stopped doing covers and started performing original material.  Later the band changed the name to the "Mothers", which was a 4 piece group for about 6 months, then they added a second guitar player, whos name was Henry Vastine. After 6 months, he left right before they signed with MGM Verve, to form a blues group named, "Canned Heat".

MGM Verve suggested to "The Mothers", they change their name again, to “The Mothers of Invention". Roy performed throughout America and Europe with the Mothers, recorded several albums including “FREAK OUT”, “ABSOLUTELY FREE”, “WERE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY”, and

“UNCLE MEAT” to name a few, as well as being prominently featured in the the movie, “UNCLE MEAT” and later “BABY SNAKES”.  

In 1969 he left the band and in the middle of 1970, he joined forces with Lowell George and formed a new group with Ritchie Hayward, and Bill Payne. They recorded their first album, "LITTLE FEAT", in 1971 and the year after, "SAILIN SHOES", on Warner Bros Record's label, which lead to both critical and popular acclaim. He also recorded with Ry Cooder, Al Wilson, Charles White and Leo Kottke,  to name a few. During this time,  he  performed  along  with, Steppenwolf, Allman  Bros., Spencer  Davis, Taj  Mahal, J. Geils  Band, Johnny  Winter, Albert  Collins, Ike & Tina Turner, and Little  River Band.

In 1973, Roy left "LITTLE FEAT" and joined, "Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band", with former Mother's drummer/percussionist Artie Tripp, making up the rhythm section. He recorded two semi-annual Beefheart albums, "THE SPOTLIGHT KID" and "CLEAR SPOT". They did an extensive tour of England and in the States

along  with Jethro Tull. In 1974, Roy left the Captain's ship and moved back to Los Angeles, where he was contacted by Frank Zappa in 1975 and was asked to perform again with a new line-up, featuring Napoleon Murphy Brock, Terry Bozzio, Andre Lewis and FZ. It would be the smallest band FZ ever took on the road, and one of the longest tours ever done by the Mothers including America and Canada in 1975, and New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Europe in 1976. This group is featured on the CD "FZ:OZ", on the Vaulternative label, as well as "ZOOT ALLURES".

In 1980, after supplying the bottom end, for three of the most creative groups to ever emerge from the West Coast, Roy quietly left the music scene, to raise his son as a single parent.

 Looking  back  to  the  late  60's, he  had  hung  out and/or  performed  on  stage  with  the  likes  of;  Jimi  Hendrix, The  Cream , Janis  Joplin, Crosby, Stills, Nash, Linda  Rondstadt, Bonnie  Raitt, Buddy  Miles, Al  Kooper, Ritchie  Havens, Jefferson  Airplane, Vanilla  Fudge, Chicago, Blood  Sweat & Tears, Malo, Don Cherry, Canned  Heat, Three Dog Night, Velvet UnderGround, Grateful Dead, Country Joe And The Fish, Neil  Diamond, Bobby  Bradford, Paul Butterfield, and  many  more.

In 2000 Roy came out of retirement, when asked by long time friend and synthesist Don Preston if he would be interested in performing as "The Grand Mothers", later adding to the name, Re:Invented. He rolled up his sleeves, put his bass back on, got his pachuco falsetto in tip top shape, and has been hitting the road as

"The Grande Mothers Re-Invented",bringing the music of Frank Zappa, to audiences throughout America, Canada and Europe.

Audiences that never had the opportunity, to hear this music played by the people who helped create it and have been playing it, since the beginning.

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