# In 1966, Frank Zappa let an unknown 17-year-old sing on his album. Years later, he murdered his music teacher

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1966-frank-zappa-let-an-unknown-17-year-old-sing-on-his-album-years-later-he-murdered-his-music-teacher/
- Published: 2026-10-31T20:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-31T21:51:05+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1966-frank-zappa-unknown-17-year-old-murdered-his-music-teacher/

## Key points

- Bobby Beausoleil sang on Zappa’s *Freak Out!* at 17.
- Zappa later turned down his request to join the band.
- Beausoleil was sentenced to life for Gary Hinman’s murder.

## Summary

Before he became known for his links to Charles Manson, Bobby Beausoleil pursued acting and music, including a brief connection with Frank Zappa. At 17, he sang on Zappa’s 1966 album *Freak Out!*; years later, Beausoleil was convicted of murdering his former music teacher, Gary Hinman.

Beausoleil said he had known Zappa casually and had followed the Mothers of Invention’s early recording sessions. Zappa let him contribute to the album but later refused his request to join the band, saying Beausoleil could not read music. Beausoleil was arrested and sentenced to life in prison in 1969 for Hinman’s murder.

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