Rosario. Rosario was impressed with Vega and invited him to join his band. He did and participated in many recordings, and from 1981 to 1986, he shared credits with a young singer, Gilberto Santa Rosa. Vega also played an essential role in the recording of "La Nueva Cosecha" ("The New Harvest") which was nominated for a Grammy Award. He stayed with Rosario for eight years. In 1986, Vega joined the Louie Ramirez band before returning to Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, he was introduced to Eddie Palmieri, by his friend Giovanni Hidalgo. Palmieri recorded Vega and ended up hiring him. Vega participated in the recording of La Verdad (The Truth), which won a Grammy Award for Palmieri. He traveled with the band to Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and Yugoslavia. Solo career In 1988, Vega formed his own band and recorded "solo" for the first time. His album Yo Me Quedo! (I Will Stay) became a best seller, andappearted in the Billboard tropical/salsa chart in late 1989. He then followed that with the recording of Lo Mio es Amor (My Thing is Love), which included the songs "Ella" ("She") and an English language track "Love is Forever". This album earned him his first gold record. In 1991, Vega won a platinum record with the success of his album Uno Mismo (Oneself). That year he performed in Venezuela and later went to New York where in Madison Square Garden he participated in Tito Puentes 100th recording The Mambo King. He appeared at the New York Salsa Festival in 1989, 1990 and 1991. Currently Among his most current productions are Si me mira a los ojos (If You Look into My Eyes), Hoy vine a Cantarte (Today I Came to Sing to You), Tropical Tribute to the Beatles (1996) and La Combinacion Perfecta (The Perfect Combination). Vega continues to perform but, not as often as before. In 1996 he became a "born again Christian". Recognitions In 1992, he was awarded La Husca Award in Panama and in Puerto Rico won the Agüeybaná de Oro Award for Best Orchestra of the Year. That same year Vega and his band performed in Spain, Chile, Colombia and the United States. He was also among a committee sent to Spain by the Government of Puerto Rico to represent the island when it was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award. He performed in the Sports Palace