Carlos Vega
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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, with his parents and had 1 older sister.(SUE), California. He attended Eagle Rock High School (See E.R. at the Monterey Pop Jazz Festival with Carlos as a High school age student performing) (In Eagle Rock) A suburb Of L.A.(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.[1]
Vega performed with a wide variety of musicians across many genres,[2] including a 13-year collaboration with James Taylor[3] (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.[4]
As a musician, Vega was a major influence on Jeff Porcaro, another outstanding Los Angeles studio musician and drummer for Toto.[5]
During a break from a James Taylor tour, on April 7, 1998, Vega died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.[6] 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.[7]
Since his death, there have been annual Carlos Vega Memorial Birthday Concerts, featuring drumming greats like Steve Ferrone and John Robinson.[8][9]
Selected Discography[]
- Caldera 1 - Caldera (1976)
- Sky Islands - Caldera (1977)
- Born Late - Shaun Cassidy (1977)
- Under Wraps - Shaun Cassidy (1978)
- Pretty Girls - Lisa Dal Bello (1979)
- He Who Rides the Tiger - Bernie Taupin (1980)
- This Time - Al Jarreau (1980)
- Bi-Coastal - Peter Allen (1980)
- Barry - Barry Manilow (1980)
- Give Me the Night - George Benson (1980)
- Physical - Olivia Newton-John (1981)
- Branigan - Laura Branigan (1982)
- Born to Love - Peabo Bryson, Roberta Flack (1983)
- Toni Basil - Toni Basil (1983)
- Best Kept Secret - Sheena Easton (1983)
- In Your Eyes - George Benson (1983)
- Emergency - Melissa Manchester (1983)
- Merciless - Stephanie Mills (1983)
- Beyond Saturday Night - Sam Phillips (1983)
- Branigan 2 - Laura Branigan (1983)
- Airborne - Don Felder (1983)
- How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye - Dionne Warwick (1983)
- A Private Heaven - Sheena Easton (1984)
- Self Control - Laura Branigan (1984)
- Straight from the Heart - Peabo Bryson (1984)
- Dancing with Danger - Sam Phillips (1984)
- Black and White in a Grey World - Sam Phillips (1985)
- Sleeping with Girls - Stephen Bishop (1985)
- Schuur Thing - Diane Schuur (1985)
- 20/20 - George Benson (1985)
- Soul Kiss - Olivia Newton-John (1985)
- Finder of Lost Loves - Dionne Warwick (1985)
- Mathematics - Melissa Manchester (1985)
- Nine Lives - Bonnie Raitt (1986)
- They Don't Make Them Like They Used To - Kenny Rogers (1986)
- Headed for the Future - Neil Diamond (1986)
- Hot on the Trail - Deniece Williams (1986)
- Winner in You - Patti LaBelle (1986)
- Everlasting - Natalie Cole (1987)
- Emotion - Juice Newton (1987)
- Touch - Laura Branigan (1987)
- Brazilian Romance - Sarah Vaughan (1987)
- Reservations for Two - Dionne Warwick (1987)
- After Dark - Ray Parker Jr. (1987)
- The Way Back Home - Vince Gill (1987)
- Cher - Cher (1987)
- Land of Dreams - Randy Newman (1988)
- Till I Loved You - Barbra Streisand (1988)
- Heart's Horizon - Al Jarreau (1988)
- Justice - Steve Camp (1988)
- The Rumour - Olivia Newton-John (1988)
- Never Die Young - James Taylor (1988)
- The Best Years of Our Lives - Neil Diamond (1988)
- Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind - Linda Ronstadt, Aaron Neville (1989)
- Lukather - Steve Lukather (1989)
- Heart of Stone - Cher (1989)
- Some People's Lives - Bette Midler (1990)
- Pure Schuur - Diane Schuur (1991)
- Lovescape - Neil Diamond (1991)
- Warm Your Heart - Aaron Neville (1991)
- New Moon Shine - James Taylor (1991)
- Love Hurts - Cher (1991)
- When You're a Boy - Susanna Hoffs (1991)
- Rendezvous - Christopher Cross (1992)
- I Still Believe in You - Vince Gill (1992)
- Soul Talkin' - Brenda Russell (1993)
- Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building - Neil Diamond (1993)
- River of Souls - Dan Fogelberg (1993)
- Let There Be Peace on Earth - Vince Gill (1993)
- When Love Finds You - Vince Gill (1994)
- Turbulent Indigo - Joni Mitchell (1994)
- Falling Forward - Julia Fordham (1994)
- The Christmas Album, Volume II - Neil Diamond (1994)
- If My Heart Had Wings - Melissa Manchester (1995)
- High Lonesome Sound - Vince Gill (1996)
- It's Good, Eve - Vonda Shepard (1996)
- Hourglass - James Taylor (1997)
- Timbre - Sophie B. Hawkins (1999)
References[]
- ^ "David Garfield : Creatchy : Keyboard Player". creatchy.com. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ "Carlos Vega | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ "Drummerworld: Carlos Vega". drummerworld.com. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ Kleiser, Randal (June 16, 1978), Grease, John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, retrieved January 15, 2018
- ^ "Carlos Vega". michael-landau.com. Archived from the original on November 22, 2001. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (April 25, 1998). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
- ^ Talevski, Nick (April 7, 2010). Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857121172.
- ^ "Carlos Vega Memorial Birthday Concert | Modern Drummer Magazine". Modern Drummer Magazine. November 27, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
- ^ "Nineteenth Annual Carlos Vega Memorial Birthday Concert | Modern Drummer Magazine". Modern Drummer Magazine. November 1, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
External links[]
- https://www.james-taylor.com/db/jt/band-members/vega-carlos/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20180116135109/https://www.drummercafe.com/featured-musician/drummer-percussionist/carlos-vega.html
- 1957 births
- 1998 suicides
- American drummers
- American percussionists
- American session musicians
- Cuban emigrants to the United States
- Suicides by firearm in California
- Origin Records artists