Sound
Ian Underwood
Ian Robertson Underwood, born on May 22, 1939, is a distinguished woodwind and keyboard musician renowned for his contributions to the original lineup of Frank Zappa's band, the Mothers of Invention. After the band's dissolution in late 1969, Underwood remained a key collaborator with Zappa throughout the 1970s, solidifying his reputation in the music industry.
Underwood's educational background includes graduating from The Choate School in 1957, followed by a bachelor's degree in composition from Yale University in 1961 and a master's degree from UC Berkeley in 1966. He began his musical journey performing in coffeehouses and bars in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of the improvisational group the Jazz Mice in the mid-1960s. He joined Zappa and the Mothers in 1967, contributing to their acclaimed album, *We're Only in It for the Money*, and later showcased his saxophone skills on the track "Ian Underwood Whips It Out" from *Uncle Meat*.
In 1969, he married Ruth Komanoff, a fellow member of the Mothers, but the couple divorced in 1986. After leaving the Mothers in 1973, Underwood transitioned to a successful career as a session keyboardist. He gained recognition for his work with numerous artists, including Quincy Jones, Barbra Streisand, and Dolly Parton. Notably, he played the synthesizer for the iconic theme of *Knight Rider* and contributed to the landmark charity single "We Are the World" in 1985. Underwood has also collaborated with composer James Horner on film scores, including the blockbuster *Titanic*.
