Lolly Vegas

Lolly Vegas (born Candido Albelando Vasquez-Vegas; October 2, 1939 – March 4, 2010)[1] was a Native American-Mexican musician. He played in numerous ensembles alongside his brother Pat, including Pat & Lolly Vegas, the surf group The Avantis and the Native American rock group Redbone. The brothers have Yaqui, Shoshone and Mexican heritage.

Lolly Vegas
Birth nameCandido Abelardo Vasquez-Vegas
Born(1939-10-02)October 2, 1939
Coalinga, California, U.S.
OriginFresno, California, U.S.
DiedMarch 4, 2010(2010-03-04) (aged 70)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instruments
  • guitar
  • vocals
Years active1960s–2000s
Labels
Associated acts

Background

Candido Albelando Vasquez-Vegas was born in Coalinga, California, on October 2, 1939.[2][3][4] He and his younger 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.[5]

Lolly and Pat performed together as The Vegas Brothers in their early careers. They later formed the group Redbone,[6] becoming best known for their 1974 hit "Come and Get Your Love".[7]

Career

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.[8][9] The Avantis did some work with Judd Hamilton (older brother of Dan Hamilton[10]) who was the arranger and co-composer on their records.[11][12] In 1963 The Avantis had a minor hit with "Wax 'Em Down".[13][14] 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 weeks position of 36 to 37, putting it right behind "Fools Rush In" by Rick Nelson.[15][16]

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.[17][18] Vegas also wrote "Love Will Make You Crawl" for Cliff Wagner which was the B-side to his 1966 single, "Exception to the Rule".[19]

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 hit singles "Maggie", "The Witch Queen of New Orleans" and "Come and Get Your Love".[20]

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.[1][21]

Solo discography
List of recordings as solo/lead act
Act Title Label and cat Year Ref
Lolly Vegas with the Downbeats "I'm Gonna Say We're Thru" / "It's Love" Audio A-202 1960 [22]

References
  1. "PASSINGS: Lolly Vegas, Ron Banks". Los Angeles Times. March 6, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  2. "The official Redbone site". www.redbone.be. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  3. The Encyclopedia of Native Music: More Than a Century of Recordings from Wax Cylinder to the Internet - Page 157 Redbone
  4. "Redbone (Official-Page)". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  5. Indigenous Pop: Native American Music from Jazz to Hip Hop, edited by Jeff Berglund, Jan Johnson, Kimberli Lee - Page 99 REDBONE
  6. Bobbie Gentry's Ode to Billie Joe, By Tara Murtha - Page 46
  7. Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era by Bruce Pollock - Page 60 COME AND GET YOUR LOVE
  8. 45Cat - The Avantis (Los Angeles) - Discography, sleeve back notes for Sundazed / Chancellor S 287
  9. Written in Music, 22 februari 2017 - Pat ‘Redbone’ Vegas heeft nog steeds een droom - Ans van Heck
  10. AllMusic - Dan Hamilton, Biography by Bruce Eder
  11. Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, By Del Halterman - Page 102
  12. 45Cat - The Avantis (Los Angeles) - Discography
  13. Ask Mr Music - FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2003
  14. Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, By Del Halterman - Page 102
  15. Cashbox, October 5, 1963 - Page 13 MR. DEALER-MR. ONE STOP MR RACK JOBBER look what ABC PARAMOUNT just cooked up !
  16. Vancouver Top 40 Radio - C-FUNTASTIC FIFTY, WEEK OF OCTOBER 12, 1963
  17. Discogs - Ricky Lancelotti Writing & Arrangement
  18. 45Cat - Rick Lancelot And The Peppermint Sticks - Discography
  19. 45Cat - Cliff Wagner - Discography
  20. Redbone's Official Website - Redbone Forever Archived 2016-05-11 at the Wayback Machine
  21. Variety, March 9, 2010 - Guitarist and vocalist Lolly Vegas dies
  22. 45Cat – Lolly Vegas With The Downbeats – Discography

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.
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