Manolo de Vega

Manuel Rafael de Vega Alonso, known professionally as Manolo De Vega, was born on May 28, 1942, in Valladolid, Spain. He began his career as a flamenco singer, initially gaining recognition for his imitations of the cantaor Fosforito and winning the Rojo el Alpargatero prize at the Concurso Nacional de Córdoba in 1965. De Vega's early musical releases included the EP Fandangos Gitanos (1968) and singles "Carcelero Carcelero" and "Dos Cruces / La Saeta" (both 1971). He also represented Spain at the New York World's Fair in 1964 and the Salzburg Festival. In addition to his musical career, De Vega was known for his comedic talents, appearing regularly on television shows like No te rías, que es peor during the 1980s and 1990s. He passed away on July 15, 2015, in Requena, Valencia.