Redbone formed in Los Angeles in 1969 around brothers Patrick and Lolly Vegas, with George "Nooks" Ortez on bass. Patrick handled lead vocals and guitar, Lolly played drums, and their sound pulled from rock, soul, and Native American rhythms. They weren't trying to fit a single category.
Their 1973 album "Come and Get Your Love" gave them their biggest hit with the title track, which reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. That song worked a Native American love chant into its melody. Another track, "The Witch Queen of New Orleans," mixed bayou themes with psychedelic rock.
They released albums like "Potlatch" in 1971 and "Wopata" in 1974 before disbanding in the late 1970s. Some listeners questioned how traditional their music was, but they opened a space for Native American artists in rock.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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