Táta Vega

[3][4] Her parents are Luis Alfredo De La Vega, who served in the United States Air Force, and Rosaura Maltés.

[5] From there went on to join the group Pollution (managed by Max Baer Jr.), led by Dobie Gray[2] (who also appeared in the Los Angeles cast of Hair).

While performing in another group with vocalists Brie Brandt and Laurie Ann Bell at the Troubadour, Berry Gordy was in the audience and signed them on the spot.

As Earthquire, the group released a self-titled album produced by Tom Wilson in 1972 on Motown's Natural Resources label.

She has had an active career as a lead backing vocalist, working with Russ Taff, Stevie Wonder,[2] Andraé Crouch, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles and Madonna, singing duets with Lou Rawls,[2] Jermaine Jackson, Peter Rivera with Rare Earth and Michael Sembello.

In 1985, Vega was nominated for Best Soul Female Gospel Performance at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards for her vocals on "Oh, It is Jesus", written by Andrae Crouch.

[citation needed] In 2006, Vega signed with Do Rite Records, releasing a gospel album entitled This Joy on October 27, 2009.

[6] On January 18, 2013, Vega, alongside Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer and Judith Hill, premiered 20 Feet from Stardom, a documentary about background singers, at Robert Redford's annual Sundance Film Festival.

In 1975, while departing from a gas station in West Adams, Los Angeles, en route to a writing session with Carmen Twilie, Vega was shot in the back of the head by a young sniper on a shooting spree positioned atop a nearby building.