- Source of Wealth: Music
- Age: 60
- Birth Place: Downey, California, United States
- Height: 6′ 0″ (1.83 m)
- Marital Status: Married (Suzanne Krajewski)
- Full Name: Alfred Matthew Yankovic
- Nationality: American
- Date of Birth: October 23, 1959
- Ethnicity: Serbian, English, Italian
- Occupation: Record Producer, Satirist, Singer-Songwriter, Musician, Director, Actor Parodist
- Education: California Polytechnic State University
- Children: 1 (Nina)
The foremost song parodist of the MTV era, “Weird Al” Yankovic carried the torch of musical humor more proudly and more successfully than any performer since Allan Sherman. In the world of novelty records — a genre noted for its extensive back catalog of flashes-in-the-pan and one-hit wonders — Yankovic was king, scoring smash after smash over the course of an enduring career which found him topically mocking everything from new wave to gangsta rap. Alfred Matthew Yankovic was born October 23, 1959, in Lynwood, CA. An only child, he began playing the accordion at age seven, following in the tradition of polka star Frank Yankovic (no relation); in his early teens he became an avid fan of the Dr. Demento show, drawing inspiration from the parodies of Allan Sherman as well as the musical comedy of Spike Jones, Tom Lehrer, and Stan Freberg.
After graduating in 1980, Yankovic’s cut “Another One Rides the Bus,” a parody of Queen’s chart-topping “Another One Bites the Dust” recorded live in Dr. Demento’s studios; the song became an underground hit, and Yankovic followed it up with “I Love Rocky Road,” a satire of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock ‘n Roll.” After hooking up with noted session guitarist and producer Rick Derringer, he signed to Scotti Brothers, which issued his debut LP, “Weird Al” Yankovic, in 1983.