Candido Albelando "Lolly" Vasquez-Vegas (October 2, 1939 – March 4, 2010) was a Native American musician of

Yaqui The Yaqui, Hiaki, or Yoeme, are an Indigenous people of Mexico and Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe, who speak the Yaqui language, a Uto-Aztecan language. Their primary homelands are in Río Yaqui valley in the no ...

Shoshone The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ), also known by the endonym Newe, are an Native Americans in the United States, Indigenous people of the United States with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshon ...

and Mexican heritage. 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 Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. He and his brother, Pat played in bands around the

area. They shortened their last name to Vegas when they relocated to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

in 1963 to pursue their musical career. The brothers performed as the Vegas Brothers before changing the name of their group to Redbone. Their 1974 hit "

Come and Get Your Love "Come and Get Your Love" is a song by the Mexican-Native American rock band Redbone. The song was originally released as a promo track under the name "Hail" and was later featured on their fifth album, ''Wovoka'' (1973), under its current na ...

" charted at No. 5 in the U.S.

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. Together with brother Pat, Lolly led a band called The Avantis. The ensemble also consisted of drummer

Mike Kowalski Mike Kowalski (born July 28, 1944) is an American drummer, percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as a longtime touring and session drummer for the rock band the Beach Boys. Early career Mike Kowalski was born in Hollywood, California ...

and guitarist Danny Hamilton. They became a support act for the

Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by thei ...

. The Avantis did some work with

Judd Hamilton Judd Douglas Hamilton is an American musician, former band leader, writer, film producer, and actor. He recorded for the Dolton, Liberty, American International, United Artists and RCA Victor labels. He contributed to the music of California, an ...

(older brother of Dan Hamilton) who was the arranger and co-composer on their records. In 1963 The Avantis had a minor hit with "Wax 'Em Down". 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. 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. Vegas also wrote "Love Will Make You Crawl" for Cliff Wagner which was the B-side to his 1966 single, "Exception to the Rule". 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".

Death

Vegas died of

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

in the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles on March 4, 2010, at age 70. He had been in poor health after suffering a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

15 years earlier.''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', March 9, 2010
Guitarist and vocalist Lolly Vegas dies
/ref>

Solo discography

References

External links