Carlos Vega

Carlos Vega, born December 7, 1956 and died April 7, 1998 was an American drummer.

Carlos Vega 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. Members of the music industry reacted with shock to the death April 7 1998. Carlos Vega died at home of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound on the eve of a scheduled April 8 appearance with Taylor on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” according to a published report.

Vega, who had just returned from a European tour with Taylor, was set to go on the road with the artist again for the U.S. leg of his tour. The tour is scheduled to begin May 29 at the Beacon Theatre in New York following shows April 27 at Sting’s all-star Rainforest Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall and a special appearance with the Boston Pops Orchestra at Boston’s Symphony Hall.

Besides his work with Taylor over the past decade — which included the studio releases “Never Die Young,” “New Moon Shine,” and “Hourglass,” plus Taylor’s “(Live)” album — Vega had recorded and/or performed with Freddy Hubbard, Boz Scaggs, Lee Ritenour, Vince Gill, Reba McIntire, Olivia Newton-John (including the “Grease” soundtrack), Larry Carlton, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, and Randy Newman, according to sources. Vega was also a member of keyboardist David Garfield’s fusion band Karizma. (Source)

Sessions

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