Happy Birthday, Don. Thanks for making even my even days odd.

A very happy birthday, Mr. Van Vliet. You are one of the very few true artists on god's golfball.
Cheers!

Happy Birthday/Earthday Don!

To MoMa, Love Dada

Please remember that it's also Martin Luther KIng's birthday. Two of the greatest Americans born on the same day.

wherever i go, i feel your presence in my big toe. don, your the tops. still. hugs, michael.

wherever i go, i feel your presence in my big toe. don, your the tops. still. hugs, michael.

Happy Birthday Don... but give us a sign, any kind of sign - just a "BOO!" would keep us happy for another decade...

Birthday wishes and many happy returns, Don.

Happy Birthday Don & thanks for givin me d' willies, always loved the way your doo dads fly.

To the man who showed me it could be done, opened the door, turned on the light, let the bird out of the cage.... You know what I mean ! .. many many thanks.

Tony, Neung sur Beuvron, France

A belated happy birthday to my musical hero from Sam in Belfast, N. Ireland. Hope you are still creating Don!

Belated, hats off to the Captain! Let there be great twitterings and tinkling of bells! Thanks for all the wonderful wild images that march through my ears and stand on my refridgerator door!

Happy birthday Don! I hope you'll surprise us with something special again.

Happy birthday Don! Hope you'll surprise us again with something special in the future.

Don Van Vliet (the artist), Your work gives birth to something new every day. Happy Birthday!

I did not know anything about Don before he walked in to Saunders market in asmall nocal town where i worked my first job. He was reading an ingreadient list on a box of raisins.He looked at me and said "they changed the lady"At first I didnt know if he was serious or not. It was a friendly type of environ so I agreed even though I wasnt sure. One of my coworkers told me he was awell known music artist but I still didnt recognize him. After he started coming in a few more times I just started treating him like a regular guy. He seemed to enjoy that as apposed to being like an attraction. At that time of year business was spotty at best so we had many lengthy conversations about just whatever,as did some of my fellow coworkers. I found him open and very talkative on just about any subject. One day we conversed for about 45 minutes. Iasked him about my idols at the time (led zeppelin&The Beatles)To my astonishment he was able to candidly give me his first hand encounters with my untouchable "gods" It was difficult for me not to sutter but i kept my cool. It was then I realized what a treasure he was,so down to earth and so unjaded. I hope he has room in his fantastic memory of a young man in a small town. My Name is Brandon, Iam now 44 years old. The time don took to talk with me says alot about his character and I appreatiate that in abig way. He showed me that he likes to be treated as human man and not as an attraction. Don,I really would like to know how you are now. say hi to your wife. Rember the Cadillacs? brandon

Happy belated Birthday, Don.

I'm sorry, but I have to say this:

I decided to type in Captain Beefheart's real name (Donald Vliet) and his birth year (1941) at Ancestry.com. What I found just shocked me:

On Ancestry.com, one Donald Van Vliet died in 2003 in Placer, CA, but I don't have a subscription, so I can't find out his death date or his birthday on the death index. Also, it has the marriage records from Donald and Jan.

If I'm somewhat or fully right, that means the rumors about Don appearing over at Safeway in 2007 are not true or possibly true. That means:

1. He faked his death.
2. He actually died.

I'm sorry to disgrace the name of Captain Beefheart, but I'm a little skeptical.

The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) database is searchable online, free of charge, at various websites.

Nothing in the database supports the anonymous comment from 24 March.

The story about Don and Safeway is completely unsubstantiated, as I pointed out in my story about Robert Plant on 12th November 2007.

His real name is Don Glen Vliet .... that's on his birth certificate. A copy of which can be seen on this site.

He was never called Donald ... except in fun by his former bandmates who formed Mallard and used it on the writing credits for 'Peon'.

Steve.