Lolly Vegas
{{short description|American musician (1939–2010)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
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| name = Lolly Vegas
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| birth_name = Candido Albelando Vasquez-Vegas
| alias =
| origin = Fresno, California, U.S.
| birth_date = {{birth date|1939|10|02|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Coalinga, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2010|03|04|1939|10|02}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| genre = {{hlist|Rock|soul|country rock|funk rock|R&B|Cajun|traditional}}
| occupation = Musician
| instrument = {{hlist|Guitar|vocals}}
| years_active = 1960s–2000s
| label = {{hlist|Chancellor|Regency|Epic|Novalene}}
| associated_acts = {{hlist|The Sharks|The Avantis|Pat & Lolly Vegas|Redbone}}
| website =
}}
Candido Albelando "Lolly" Vasquez-Vegas (October 2, 1939 – March 4, 2010) was a Native American musician of Yaqui, Shoshone and Mexican heritage.{{cite web |date=March 6, 2010 |title=PASSINGS: Lolly Vegas, Ron Banks |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-passings6-2010mar06-story.html |accessdate=February 20, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times }} He played in numerous ensembles with his brother Pat, including Pat & Lolly Vegas, The Avantis, and Redbone.
Background
Candido Albelando Vasquez-Vegas was born in Fresno, California.{{cite web|url=http://www.redbone.be/History/Origins.html|title=The official Redbone site|website=www.redbone.be|access-date=2018-09-14}}{{Cite book |last=Wright-McLeod |first=Brian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1fbJeDztFG8C&dq=Pat+Vegas&pg=PA157 |title=The Encyclopedia of Native Music: More Than a Century of Recordings from Wax Cylinder to the Internet |date=2005 |publisher=University of Arizona Press |isbn=9780816524488 |page=157 |language=en}} He and his brother, Pat played in bands around the Fresno area. They shortened their last name to Vegas when they relocated to Los Angeles in 1963 to pursue their musical career.{{Cite book |last1=Berglund |first1=Jeff |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LZxxCwAAQBAJ&q=Pat+Vegas+The+Sharks |title=Indigenous Pop: Native American Music from Jazz to Hip Hop |last2=Johnson |first2=Jan |last3=Lee |first3=Kimberli |date=2016 |publisher=University of Arizona Press |isbn=9780816509447 |page=99 |language=en}}
The brothers performed as the Vegas Brothers before changing the name of their group to Redbone.{{Cite book |last=Murtha |first=Tara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rqygBQAAQBAJ&dq=Pat+Vegas+Redbone&pg=PA46 |title=Bobbie Gentry's Ode to Billie Joe 33 1/3 |date=2014 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing, USA |isbn=978-1-62356-342-4 |edition=Revised |page=46 |language=en}} Their 1974 hit "Come and Get Your Love" charted at No. 5 in the U.S.{{Cite web |title=Come And Get Your Love |url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/redbone/come-and-get-your-love |access-date=February 20, 2023 |website=Songfacts |publisher=Songfacts, LLC |language=en}}
Career
Before the world knew him as Lolly Vegas of the 1970's band Redbone, Lolly Vasquez, with brother Pat and friend Robert Howard, played the Salinas club circuit in the 1950's. With his brother and Howard, they formed the High Tensions band. Lolly Vasquez played lead guitar while his brother played mostly bass and drums.The Californian - Salinas musician Lolly Vegas of Redbone remembered - Wednesday, March 10, 2010 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/280386445/?] Together with brother Pat, Lolly led a band called The Avantis. The ensemble also consisted of drummer Mike Kowalski and guitarist Danny Hamilton. They became a support act for the Beach Boys.45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/the-avantis-los-angeles The Avantis (Los Angeles) - Discography, sleeve back notes for Sundazed / Chancellor S 287]Written in Music, 22 februari 2017 - [http://www.writteninmusic.com/roots/pat-redbone-vegas-heeft-nog-steeds-een-droom/ Pat ‘Redbone’ Vegas heeft nog steeds een droom - Ans van Heck] The Avantis did some work with Judd Hamilton (older brother of Dan HamiltonAllMusic - [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dan-hamilton-mn0001209818 Dan Hamilton, Biography by Bruce Eder]) who was the arranger and co-composer on their records.Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, By Del Halterman - [https://books.google.com/books?id=8KsyZ0W5hr0C&dq=%22Judd+Hamilton%22Avantis&pg=PA102 Page 102]45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/the-avantis-los-angeles The Avantis (Los Angeles) - Discography] In 1963 The Avantis had a minor hit with "Wax 'Em Down".Ask Mr Music - [https://jerryosborne.com/9-15-03.htm FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2003]Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, By Del Halterman - [https://books.google.com/books?id=8KsyZ0W5hr0C&dq=%22Judd+Hamilton%22Avantis&pg=PA102 Page 102] The single was distributed in Canada by Sparton of Canada Ltd where it made the charts. On October 12, 1963, Canada's C-FUNTASTIC FIFTY recorded the single's chart status as having moved up one notch from the previous week's position of 37 to 36, putting it right behind "Fools Rush In" by Rick Nelson.Cashbox, October 5, 1963 - [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/60s/1963/CB-1963-10-05.pdf Page 13 MR. DEALER-MR. ONE STOP MR RACK JOBBER look what ABC PARAMOUNT just cooked up !]Vancouver Top 40 Radio - [http://www.vancouvertop40radio.com/Station%20Selection/CFUN/1963/cfun101263.htm C-FUNTASTIC FIFTY, WEEK OF OCTOBER 12, 1963]
Vegas co-wrote the Rick Lancelot & The Peppermint Sticks single "Sick Chick" / "Ain't That Soul" which was released in 1964. Rick Lancelot was in fact Ricky Lancelotti.Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/artist/619400-Ricky-Lancelotti Ricky Lancelotti Writing & Arrangement]45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/rick-lancelot-and-the-peppermint-sticks Rick Lancelot And The Peppermint Sticks - Discography] Vegas also wrote "Love Will Make You Crawl" for Cliff Wagner which was the B-side to his 1966 single, "Exception to the Rule".45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/cliff-wagner Cliff Wagner - Discography]
In 1969, along with his brother Pat, rhythm guitarist Tony Bellamy and drummer Pete DePoe he formed the band Redbone, for which he was the lead singer. The band produced the singles "Maggie", "The Witch Queen of New Orleans", and their biggest hit "Come and Get Your Love".Redbone's Official Website - [http://www.redbone.be/ Redbone Forever] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511225237/http://www.redbone.be/ |date=2016-05-11 }}
Death
Vegas died of lung cancer in the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles on March 4, 2010, at age 70. He had been in poor health after suffering a stroke 15 years earlier.Variety, March 9, 2010 - [https://variety.com/2010/music/news/guitarist-and-vocalist-lolly-vegas-dies-1118016264/ Guitarist and vocalist Lolly Vegas dies]
Solo discography
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ List of recordings as solo/lead act |
| scope="col" | Act
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Label and {{abbr|cat|catalog number}} ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Ref |
|---|
| scope="row" | Lolly Vegas with the Downbeats
| "I'm Gonna Say We're Thru" // "It's Love" | Audio A-202 | 1960 |
References
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Further reading
- Come And Get Your Love: A Celebratory Ode to Redbone (1939–Present) by Pat "Redbone" Vegas, Rehbon Publishing, 2017, 280 pps.
- King Kong Pete: Redbone and Beyond by Peter "Last Walking Bear" DePoe, King Kong Beat Publishing, 2017, 292 pps.
External links
- {{Discogs artist}}
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- [http://www.punchland.com/music/interview-pat-vegas-of-redbone/ Punchland: Interview: Pat Vegas of Redbone]
{{Redbone}}
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Category:American people of Shoshone descent
Category:American people of Yaqui descent
Category:American rock guitarists
Category:Musicians from Fresno, California
Category:Redbone (band) members