Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

VEGA, Tony

(b 13 July '57, Sakinas CA) Salsa singer/bandleader. Played drums at age eight in Philadelphia; at age ten the family relocated to Puerto Rico and he later played conga and sang with the group La Preferida, turning pro '78 as co-lead singer with Raphy Leavitt's band La Selecta, appearing on Raphy Leavitt La Selecta Orchestra '78; he left to sing with Willie Rosario '80--86, debuting as co-lead vocalist on El de a 20 de Willie '80, then sharing lead on six albums with Gilberto Santa Rosa: The Portrait Of A Salsa Man '81, Atizame El Fogon '82, The Salsa Machine '83, Nuevos Horizontes '84, Afincando/25 Aniversario '85 and the Grammy-nom. Nueva Cosecha '86. After leaving Rosario, Vega sang on Eddie Palmieri's fifth Grammy winner La Verdad/The Truth '87 and performed on Louie Ramirez's Louie Ramirez y Super Banda '87. He was one of the first to record for New York promoter Ralph Mercado's new RMM label, making a hit solo debut '88 with Yo Me Quedo! Increasingly successful if somewhat thin salsa erotica albums followed on RMM: Lo Mio Es Amor '90, Uno Mismo '91, Aparentemente '92 and Si Me Miras A Los Ojos '94 incl. a couple of chart-toppers; Vega told Billboard in '89 that he did not perform salsa erotica, but his style owed a great deal to that trend. From '88 Vega's mus. dir. and prod. has been trumpeter/arr./composer Humberto Ramirez (see his entry). Vega received the Far ndula Diplo award for Salsa Singer of the Year '92; Vega and other contemporary soneros (incl. Gilberto Santa Rosa) paid homage to the previous generation on Los Soneros De Hoy Tributo A Los Soneros '93, interpreting trademark songs associated with their heroes (Vega did the Cheo Feliciano classic 'Anacaona'). He participated in all-star RMM sets Combinacion Perfecta '93 (paired with Tito Nieves on the track 'Tu Por Aqui Y Yo Por Alla'), Familia RMM en Vivo '94, recorded live at Miami Arena Oct. '93, and RMM Tropical Tribute To The Beatles '96. From '89 he has often appeared at the annual New York Salsa Festival, a round-up of the year's star turns, at Madison Square Garden. His eponymous album '96 on RMM went gold within a week of release and was nom. for a Grammy.