Tony Vega
Encyclopedia
Tony Vega is a renowned salsa
singer and bandleader
.
s and therefore learned how to play the bongos
and conga
at an early age. In 1967, when he was 10 years old, he played the conga for a kids band called "La Prefeida". His family moved to New York City
in 1968. In New York, Vega continued to go to school. In his free time however, he played the conga for various local Latin rock bands including "City Trash".
Latin music was very popular in New York during the 1970s and while Vega played the conga for Latin rock bands, he started to become more and more interested in the afroantillano style of music better known as salsa. He listened to and was influenced by Ismael Rivera
, Rafael Cortijo
, Rafael Ithier
and El Gran Combo
.
. Rosario was impressed with Vega and invited him to join his band. He did and participated in many recordings, and from 1981 to 1986, he shared credits with a young singer by the name of Gilberto Santa Rosa
. Vega also played an essential role in the recording of "La Nueva Cosecha" (The New Harvest) which was nominated for a Grammy Award
. He stayed with Rosario for eight years.
In 1986, Vega joined the Louie Ramirez band before returning to Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, he was introduced to Eddie Palmieri
by his friend Giovanni Hidalgo
. Palmieri recorded Vega and ended up hiring him because he liked what he heard. Vega participated in the recording of "La Verdad" (The Truth)which won a Grammy for Palmieri. He traveled with the band to Spain
, the Netherlands
, Switzerland
, Germany
, Denmark
, and Yugoslavia
.
track "Love is Forever". This album earned him his first Gold Record Award. in 1991, Vega won a Platinum Record Award with the success of his album "Uno Mismo" (Yourself). That year he performed in Venezuela
and later went to New York where in Madison Square Garden
he participated in Tito Puente
s 100th recording "The Mambo King".
and in Puerto Rico won the Golden Agueybana
Award for Best Orchestra of the Year. That year Vega and his band performed in Spain, Chile
, Colombia
and the United States. He was also among a committee sent to Spain by the Government of Puerto Rico
to represent the island when it was awarded the Prince of Austria's Award. He performed in the Sports Palace of Madrid.
In 1996, Vega participated with Marc Anthony
in the opening ceremonies of the 7th Gymnastics World Championships celebrated in Puerto Rico.
Tony Vega continues to perform but, not as often as before. In 1996 he became a "born again Christian".
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
singer and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
.
Early years
Vega received his primary education in his hometown. He was born into a family of musicianMusician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s and therefore learned how to play the bongos
Bongo drum
Bongo or bongos are a Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of single-headed, open-ended drums attached to each other. The drums are of different size: the larger drum is called in Spanish the hembra and the smaller the macho...
and conga
Conga
The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
at an early age. In 1967, when he was 10 years old, he played the conga for a kids band called "La Prefeida". His family moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1968. In New York, Vega continued to go to school. In his free time however, he played the conga for various local Latin rock bands including "City Trash".
Latin music was very popular in New York during the 1970s and while Vega played the conga for Latin rock bands, he started to become more and more interested in the afroantillano style of music better known as salsa. He listened to and was influenced by Ismael Rivera
Ismael Rivera
Ismael "Maelo" Rivera , was a renowned Puerto Rican composer and singer of salsa music.-Early life:Ismael Rivera was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, on October 5, 1931. He was the first of five children born to Luis and Margarita Rivera. His father, Luis, was a carpenter and his mother a housewife...
, Rafael Cortijo
Rafael Cortijo
Rafael Cortijo , was a Puerto Rican musician, orchestra leader, and composer.As a child, Cortijo became interested in Caribbean music and enjoyed the works of some of the era's most successful Plena music musicians...
, Rafael Ithier
Rafael Ithier
Rafael Ithier , is a Salsa musician and the founder of the highly successful orchestra El Gran Combo. Ithier was born in Río Piedras, now a part of greater San Juan.-Early years:...
and El Gran Combo
El Gran Combo
El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, commonly known as El Gran Combo, is a Puerto Rican Salsa music orchestra. It is Puerto Rico's most successful musical group, and one of the most popular salsa orchestras across Latin America...
.
La Selecta
In 1978, after he graduated from high school, Vega auditioned and was accepted by "La Selecta" a well known salsa band directed by Raphy Leavitt. He sang with the band and recorded "Cosquillita" (Tickle) "Sheila Taina" and "El Picaflor", which became "hits". In 1980, Vega was doing a show with La Selecta and in the audience was another salsa bandleader, Willie RosarioWillie Rosario
Willie Rosario a.k.a. "Mr. Afinque" is a musician, composer and bandleader of salsa music.-Early years:Rosario was born and raised in Coamo, Puerto Rico into a poor, but hard working family. His parents realized that as a child Willie was musically inclined and had him take guitar lessons at the...
. Rosario was impressed with Vega and invited him to join his band. He did and participated in many recordings, and from 1981 to 1986, he shared credits with a young singer by the name of Gilberto Santa Rosa
Gilberto Santa Rosa
Gilberto Santa Rosa, also known as "El Caballero de la Salsa" , is a Puerto Rican bandleader and singer of salsa and bolero.-Early years:...
. Vega also played an essential role in the recording of "La Nueva Cosecha" (The New Harvest) which was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
. He stayed with Rosario for eight years.
In 1986, Vega joined the Louie Ramirez band before returning to Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, he was introduced to Eddie Palmieri
Eddie Palmieri
Eddie Palmieri , is a Grammy Award winning Puerto Rican pianist, bandleader and musician, best known for combining jazz piano and instrumental solos with Latin rhythms.-Early years:...
by his friend Giovanni Hidalgo
Giovanni Hidalgo
Giovanni Hidalgo a.k.a. "Mañenguito" is an educator and percussionist associated with Latin jazz.-Early years:Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico where he received his primary education. His grandfather had also been a musician as well as his father, José Manuel Hidalgo "Mañengue", who was...
. Palmieri recorded Vega and ended up hiring him because he liked what he heard. Vega participated in the recording of "La Verdad" (The Truth)which won a Grammy for Palmieri. He traveled with the band to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
Solo career
In 1988, Vega formed his own band and recorded "solo" for the first time. His album "Yo me Quedo" (I will stay) became a "hit'. He then followed that with the recording of the album "Lo Mio es Amor" (My thing is Love) which included the songs "Ella" (She) and an English languageEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
track "Love is Forever". This album earned him his first Gold Record Award. in 1991, Vega won a Platinum Record Award with the success of his album "Uno Mismo" (Yourself). That year he performed in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and later went to New York where in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
he participated in Tito Puente
Tito Puente
Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
s 100th recording "The Mambo King".
Recognitions
1992 was a very busy year for Vega. He was awarded La Husca Award in PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and in Puerto Rico won the Golden Agueybana
Agüeybaná
Agüeybaná and Agüeybaná II , were the principal and most powerful caciques of the Taíno people in "Borikén" when the Spaniards first arrived on the island on November 19, 1493.- "The Great Sun" :...
Award for Best Orchestra of the Year. That year Vega and his band performed in Spain, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and the United States. He was also among a committee sent to Spain by the Government of Puerto Rico
Government of Puerto Rico
The Government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. Its current powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution...
to represent the island when it was awarded the Prince of Austria's Award. He performed in the Sports Palace of Madrid.
In 1996, Vega participated with Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony is an American singer-songwriter, actor and producer. Anthony is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. The two-time Grammy and three-time Latin Grammy–winner has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. He is best known for his Latin salsa numbers and ballads...
in the opening ceremonies of the 7th Gymnastics World Championships celebrated in Puerto Rico.
Discography
- Cosquilla
- Sheila Taina
- El Picaflor
- Mi Amigo el Payaso
- Caramelito del Campo
- Busca el Ritmo
- Prohibiciones
- Como es Posible
- El Cuatro
- Yo Me Quedo
- Tu Prenda Tendida
- Nadie te Mando
- Lo mio es Amor
- Ella
- Uno Mismo
- Dame Tiempo
- Ya es tiempo de Olvidar
- Si miras a los Ojos
- Hoy vine a Cantarte
- Tropical Tribute to the Beatles
- La Combinacion Perfecta
- Tu Eres Mi Respirar
- Hoy Quiero Cantarte
- Cuestión de Fé
Currently
Among his most current productions are "Si me mira a los ojos" (If you look into my eyes), "Hoy vine a Cantarte" (Today I came to sing to you), "Tropical Tribute to the Beatles" and "La Combinacion Perfecta" (The Perfect Combination).Tony Vega continues to perform but, not as often as before. In 1996 he became a "born again Christian".