It was a smash hit on the Billboard charts in 1974, with an infectious groove and feel-good beat. And in recent years, it’s had a resurgence thanks to major movies and several big TV commercials. But did you know the band that wrote and recorded “Come and Get Your Love” was from Fresno? The story of the band Redbone, today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots.
Brothers Patrick and Lolly Vasquez were born in Coalinga and grew up in Fresno. They quickly took to music with Patrick playing bass and Lolly playing guitar. They moved to LA in 1963. The brothers changed their last name from Vasquez to Vegas, and performed surf music as the Avantis and the Deuce Coupes. They had decent success in Southern California’s music scene.
Enter Jimi Hendrix. He got to know the brothers on the Sunset Strip and was a huge fan, especially of Lolly. Hendrix reportedly said reportedly said Lolly was best guitarist he had ever heard. Hendrix encouraged the brothers to shift their style and lean into their shared Native American and Mexican-American heritage.
They formed the band Redbone, and tapped into the growing American Indian Movement. They headlined the very first Earth Day event in 1970, and had several hits, including Come and Get Your Love, which peaked at number 5 on the Billboard chart. In recent years the song has been featured on a Netflix series, in the 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy movie and numerous commercials. The band is considered the most successful Native American rock band of all-time. Lolly Vegas died in 2010 and is buried in Fresno.
