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Carlos Vega

{{Short description|American drummer (1956–1998)}}

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{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}

Carlos Vega (December 7, 1956 – April 7, 1998) was a Cuban-born Los Angeles-based session drummer best known for his performances with James Taylor. As a part of the L.A. studio scene from the late 1970s through the 1990s, Vega contributed to a wide variety of music during the rise and popularity of the California singer-songwriter movement.

History

Carlos Vega was born in Cuba on December 7, 1956 and grew up in Los Angeles, California with his parents and had one older sister, Sue. He attended Eagle Rock High School in a suburb of Los Angeles. He knew Grant High School students and collaborated with such future artists as Michael Landau, Jeff Porcaro, and Steve Lukather.

Vega co-formed his first band, Karizma, in 1975 with Michael Landau, David Garfield, Lenny Castro, and Jimmy Johnson.{{Cite web|url=http://www.creatchy.com/DG_pages/DG_bio.html|title=David Garfield : Creatchy : Keyboard Player|website=Creatchy.com|access-date=January 15, 2018}}

Vega performed with a wide variety of musicians across many genres,{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/carlos-vega-mn0000797188/credits|title=Carlos Vega {{!}} Credits |website=AllMusic|access-date=January 15, 2018}} including a 13-year collaboration with James Taylor{{Cite web|url=http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Carlos_Vega.html|title=Drummerworld: Carlos Vega|website=Drummerworld.com|access-date=January 15, 2018}} (featured on Live, Hourglass, Never Die Young, and New Moon Shine) and on Olivia Newton-John's double platinum album, Physical. He performed on the soundtrack for the film Grease.{{Cite web|last=Kleiser|first=Randal|title=Grease|date=June 16, 1978|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077631/|others=John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing|website=IMDb.com|access-date=January 15, 2018}}

As a musician, Vega was a major influence on Jeff Porcaro, another outstanding Los Angeles studio musician and drummer for Toto.{{Cite web|url=http://www.michael-landau.com/html/body_carlos_vega.html|title=Carlos Vega|website=Michael-landau.com|access-date=January 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011122182229/http://www.michael-landau.com/html/body_carlos_vega.html|archive-date=November 22, 2001|url-status=dead}}

During a break from a James Taylor tour, on April 7, 1998, Vega died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aQ0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=carlos+vega+billboard&pg=PA13|title=Billboard|date=April 25, 1998|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.}} While most media reports stated that he died at home, it has also been written that his body was found on a deserted road overlooking Los Angeles.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DykffzkFALoC&dq=carlos+vega+drummer+death&pg=PA675|title=Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door|last=Talevski|first=Nick|date=April 7, 2010|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=9780857121172}}

Since his death, there have been annual Carlos Vega Memorial Birthday Concerts, featuring drummers such as Steve Ferrone and John Robinson.{{Cite news|url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/2013/11/carlos-vega-memorial-birthday-concert/|title=Carlos Vega Memorial Birthday Concert {{!}} Modern Drummer Magazine|date=November 27, 2013|work=Modern Drummer Magazine|access-date=September 4, 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/2016/11/nineteenth-annual-carlos-vega-memorial-birthday-concert/|title=Nineteenth Annual Carlos Vega Memorial Birthday Concert {{!}} Modern Drummer Magazine|date=November 1, 2016|work=Modern Drummer Magazine|access-date=September 4, 2018}}

Selected discography

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.james-taylor.com/db/jt/band-members/vega-carlos/ Vega, Carlos]

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Category:1956 births

Category:1998 suicides

Category:1998 deaths

Category:American male drummers

Category:American percussionists

Category:American session musicians

Category:Cuban emigrants to the United States

Category:Suicides by firearm in California

Category:Origin Records artists

Category:Drummers from Los Angeles