Fiel a la Vega

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Fiel a la Vega
(from left to right: Jorge and Pedro Arraiza, Papo Román, Ricky Laureano, and Tito Auger)
Country	Vega Baja and Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
Years active	1994 - present
Genres	Rock en Español
Members	Tito Auger Ricky Laureano Jorge Arraiza Pedro Arraiza
Website(s)	Official Site

Fiel a la Vega is a Rock en Español band from Puerto Rico formed in 1994. Their name means Faithful to the Vega. Band members Tito Auger and Ricky Laureano come from the northern city of Vega Alta, while brothers Pedro Arraiza and Jorge Arraiza come from the city of Vega Baja, which is a city next to Vega Alta.

1 Band history
2 Band Members
3 Discography
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Band history

Childhood friends Ricky Laureano and Tito Auger formed the band in 1994 after looking for success in the United States. Returning to Puerto Rico, they joined long-time friends Pedro and Jorge Arraiza (with whom they had played before in Los Arraiza Voladores) and officially started the band. After playing local gigs through the island, they started gaining the attention of the public and became one of the most sought bands in the island.

In 1996, the band released their eponymous album Fiel a la Vega, adding percussionist Papo Román to its line-up. The album spawned hits like "Salimos de Aquí", "El Wanabí", and "Las Flores de Emilio". The follow-up acoustic set "El Concierto Acústico" (1997), recorded live, in which they played acoustic versions of the songs in "Fiel a la Vega", boasted covers from Latin American artists such as Roy Brown, Leon Gieco, Silvio Rodríguez, and Haciendo Punto en Otro Son.

In 1998, amidst relentless touring they released A Quien Pueda Interesar. Now turned national stars, they became the first Puerto Rican band to headline and sell out the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. They released Tres with EMI Latin (their only CD with a major label) in 1999. However, their union with the label would be short-lived as they parted ways in 2001.

That year, they released a live CD "El Concierto Sinfónico" (recorded in 1999 at the Centro de Bellas Artes in San Juan) in which they expanded the acoustic formula to a symphonic orchestra playing songs from A Quien Pueda Interesar as well as favorites again mixed with covers from Rubén Blades, Danny Rivera, Silvio Rodríguez, and Puerto Rican Salsa superstars El Gran Combo.

Their latest album, La Prosperidad, was released independently in 2002. They supported it with a national tour through all the island. In 2005, writer and long-time personal friend of the band Edgardo Soto released a biography of the band that coincided with the release of their 10th anniversary album, Desde el Comienzo: 1994-2004.

In October 11, 2006, percussionist Papo Román communicated by a letter to his " friends, press, musicians and dear fieles" that he will be quitting the band after ten long years of adventures with them. He stated that, despite not regretting the time spent with the band, he needed to slow down and dedicate time to his family. Román is the father of six children, two of them teenage daughters.

According to their website, a new album will be available soon.

[edit] Band Members

Tito Auger - vocals, rhythm guitars
Ricky Laureano - vocals, lead guitars
Jorge Arraiza - bass guitar, background vocals
Pedro Arraiza - drums, background vocals
Papo Román - percussion (1996 - 2006)

[edit] Discography

Fiel a la Vega (1996)	El Concierto Acústico (1997)	A Quien Pueda Interesar (1998)	Tres (1999)
El Concierto Sinfónico (2001)	La Prosperidad (2002)	Desde el Comienzo: 1994-2004 (2005)