Ira Kaplan

Ira David Kaplan^[1] (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.^[2]

Ira Kaplan
Ira Kaplan in 2005
Background information
Birth name	Ira David Kaplan
Born	(1957-01-07) January 7, 1957 (age 68) Queens, New York, United States
Genres	Indie rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	1984–present

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 Voice^[3] and Matter,^[4] as well as serving as a soundman, roadie and backup musician for Mofungo and other New York-area bands.^[5][6] 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).^[7]

In 2012, Spin named Kaplan the 97th greatest guitarist of all time.^[8]

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."^[9]