Ira David Kaplan (born January 7, 1957) is a co-founder, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter in the American indie rock band Yo La Tengo. He is married to the band's co-founder Georgia Hubley.[ Allmusic.com Entry for Ira Kaplan]
A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, Kaplan formed Yo La Tengo in the early 1980s. Previously, he worked as a music critic for the SoHo Weekly News, New York Rocker, Village VoicePerfect Sound Forever: "From Gem Spa to the World" and Matter, as well as serving as a soundman, roadie and backup musician for Mofungo and other New York-area bands. "An American Band: Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan Reminisces..." Baltimore City Paper, February 2, 2007 Booth, Vachel (1988) "Yo, Dudes! - Home runs and headbutts with Yo La Tengo", Underground, February 1988 (Issue 11), p. 21 Kaplan's life, family, and musical development were chronicled in the book Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock, by Jesse Jarnow (Avery Books, 2012).Big Day Coming review at Pitchfork.com
In 2012, Spin named Kaplan the 97th greatest guitarist of all time.
Kaplan's vocals were featured in Eluvium's 2013 album Nightmare Ending in the song "Happiness". He occasionally hosts a free-form radio program on WFMU under the name "Ira the K."WFMU archives for Ira Kaplan
References
External links
Official Yo La Tengo site Matador Records' official Yo La Tengo site