Will Vinton, Claymation Pioneer and Father of The California Raisins, Has Died at Age 70

It’s rare enough for an ad campaign to break into pop culture in any lasting way, but even among that elite roster, The California Raisins are in a class of their own. In the 1980s, the animated band of wrinkled and purple R&B singers were absolutely everywhere, starting in TV ads and soon branching out into musical records, holiday specials and endless merchandise.