
Written by Christian Staebler and Sonia Paoloni · Illustrated by Thibault Balahy
A band battles for cultural identity amidst the Native American civil rights movement.
In the 1960s, brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas storm the Sunset Strip with their band, Redbone. As Native American rock pioneers, they face a choice: commercial success or cultural pride. Amidst the rise of the American Indian Movement, they stand firm in their heritage, influencing legends like The Doors and Jimi Hendrix. This gripping tale of music and identity reveals a pivotal yet overlooked chapter in American history, blending biography with historical journalism to uncover the band's courageous journey.
Experience the riveting, powerful story of the Native American civil rights movement and the resulting struggle for identity told through the high-flying career of West Coast rock ‘n’ roll pioneers Redbone. You’ve heard the hit song “Come and Get Your Love” in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy, but the story of the band behind it is one of cultural, political, and social importance. Brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas were talented Native American rock musicians that took the 1960s Sunset Strip by storm. They influenced The Doors and jammed with Jimmy Hendrix before he was “Jimi,” and the idea of a band made up of all Native Americans soon followed. Determined to control their creative vision and maintain their cultural identity, they eventually signed a deal with Epic Records in 1969. But as the American Indian Movement gained momentum the band took a stand, choosing pride in their ancestry over continued commercial reward. Created in cooperation of the Vegas family, authors Christian Staebler and Sonia Paoloni with artist Thibault Balahy take painstaking steps to ensure the historical accuracy of this important and often overlooked story of America’s past. Part biography and part research journalism, Redbone tells a vivid story about this neglected chapter of American history.
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