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.

[2] 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).

[8] Kaplan's vocals were featured in Eluvium's 2013 album Nightmare Ending in the song "Happiness".