BIOGRAPHY

     IAN PEERS FREEBAIRN-SMITH was born on March 4, 1932 to Welsh radio announcer and one of the founders of the TV academy, Thomas Freebairn-Smith, and British emigrant Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Peers, while living on Mercer Island in King County, Washington.
     They moved to California when Ian was three, so most of his childhood was spent in Sherman Oaks where he and brother Rod attended Sherman Oaks Elementary School. High school years were at the Harvard School on Coldwater Canyon in Studio City, next to the Episcopalian church of which his parents were among the founders.
     Ian's first wife was high school sweetheart, Billie Jean Mercer, with whom he had three daughters: Leslie and singer/songwriters Alison and Jennifer. He has been blessed with three granddaughters including singer/songwriter and former Ty Segall Band drummer, Emily Rose Epstein, Morgan Ernst Palotta and Taylor Grace Gabbard.
     With second wife, violinist Shari Zippert, he would have a fourth daughter, cellist, Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, currently living in Los Angeles a member of the film and television orchestras, the Hollywood Bowl orchestra, also touring, regularly with artists such as Jeff Beck and Sarah McLachlan.
     Over the years Ian has enjoyed sailing, skiing, and piloting single engine planes and gliders.