Wilfrido Vargas

Wilfrido Vargas
Wilfrido Vargas in 2008
Wilfrido Vargas in 2008
Background information
Born
Wilfrido Radamés Vargas Martínez

(1949-04-24) 24 April 1949
Altamira, Dominican Republic
GenresMerengue
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • composer
  • arranger
  • trumpeter
  • actor
Instruments
Years active1972–present
Labels

Wilfrido Radamés Vargas Martínez[2] (Spanish pronunciation: [wilˈfɾiðo ˈβaɾɣas]; born 24 April 1949) is a Dominican musician, composer, arranger and band leader.[3] He was instrumental in making the merengue style a worldwide phenomenon.[4]

He was surrounded by musical influences; namely, his father Ramón, an accordionist and guitarist, and his mother Bienvenida, a flute player and guitarist.[5] Vargas began his musical studies early, attending the Municipal Academy of Music beginning at age 10.[3]

Career

1970s

He began his career with the band Wilfrido Vargas y sus Beduinos by recording his first album in 1972.[6] In 1976, Vargas and his band, Wilfrido Vargas y Sus Beduinos, performed at the Madison Square Garden alongside Los Hijos del Rey. In 1978, he released the song El Barbarazo which helped catapult his popularity in Latin America. It was also his first international hit. Alongside many Latin music artists, he performed during the 1979 music festival Havana Jam with the Fania All-Stars.[7]

1980s

During the 1980s, he formed and directed many successful merengue groups including Las Chicas Del Can, The New York Band and Altamira Banda Show. He had international commercial success with songs such as "El Jardinero", "La Medicina", "El Africano" and "El Loco y La Luna". Vargas appeared in the 1989 film "Que viva el merengue y la lambada".[8]

1990s

He was nominated in 1991 for the 33rd Grammy Awards in the Best Tropical Latin Performance for his album Animation.[5] He won a "Gaviota de Plata" (Silver Seagull) in the 1992 Viña del Mar International Song Festival.[9] In 1993, he was decorated by the Dominican president Joaquín Balaguer with the Order of Christopher Columbus in the Knight grade, alongside fellow Dominican musicians Jorge Taveras, Manuel Tejada and Julio Gautreaux for their contribution to the development and dissemination of the national music.[10]

The song "El Africano" from his 1983 album "El Funcionario" was the basis for the 1991 hit single, "Mami El Negro" by Cuban-American rapper DJ Laz.[11]

For the telenovela Bellísima, Wilfrido performed the theme song, "Amor Casual" and also performed the song "Que Será" for the 1997 film Out to Sea.[12]

2000s

In 2003 he acted in the drama film"Exito por intercambio".[13][14]

Vargas participated in 2007 at the Colombian version of The X Factor, as the groups mentor.[15]

Today Vargas is one of the best-known artists in Latin America with hit songs such as "El Africano" (written by Calixto Ochoa),[16] "Abusadora", "Comején", "A Mover la Colita", "El Baile del Perrito" and "Volveré".

As of 2010, he lives in Colombia.[17]

Discography

Title Year Chart[3]
Tropical Songs
Wilfrido Vargas y sus Beduinos1973-
El semáforo1974-
Merengues instrumentales1974-
El jarro pichao1975-
En el Madison Square Garden1976-
¡Por el Campeonato Mundial!1977-
Haciendo historia1979-
¡Punto y aparte!1978-
Internacional1979-
Evolución1979-
El jeque1980-
Abusadora1981-
Wilfrido Vargas & Sandy Reyes1982-
El Funcionario1983-
El Jardinero19843
El Africano1984-
La Medicina19852
Vida, Canción y Suerte198617
La Música19874
El Baile19872
Más Que Un Loco19889
Animation19899
Éxitos de19909
Siempre Wilfrido19905
Amor Casual1991-
Itinerario19925
Usted Se Queda Aquí1994-
El Extraterrestre1995-
Wilfrido Vargas y Sus Consentidas1996-
Hoy1997-
Raíces1998-
www.wilfrido-vargas.com2000-
Dos Generaciones2002-
El Único2002-
Serie platino2000-
Serie 20002000-
10 éxitos de oro2000-
16 éxitos2000-
16 éxitos 22001-
Oro de Oro2001-
Dos generaciones2002-
El único2002-
Juntos2002-
Colección diamante2003-
Raíces 22004-
Grandes éxitos2005-
2 grandes voces del merengue2007-
15 éxitos2008-
Los 30 mejores éxitos2012-
Los Mejor 40 Grandes2012-
Lo Mejor De Mi...2013-
Éxitos y Mucho Más2014-
Merengue Mix 22015-
60 y algo Más2015-
Mi Historia 12016-
Mi Historia 22016-
La Música Vol, 22017-
Albums that did not chart are denoted with an "—".

Grammy Nomination

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role
1989 Que Viva el Merengue y la Lambada Himself
2003 Éxito Por Intercambio Himself

References

  1. ↑ Aol Music. "Wilfrido Vargas Biography". Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  2. ↑ Billboard. "Wilfrido Vargas". Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 "Wilfrido Vargas Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
  4. ↑ eldiario.ec. "Wilfrido Vargas llega a la fiesta del merengue" (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  5. 1 2 Batanga Media Networks. "Wilfrido Vargas Biografía" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  6. ↑ Proefrock, Stacia. "Biography: Wilfrido Vargas". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  7. ↑ Nat Geo Music. "Wilfrido Vargas". Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  8. ↑ IMDB. "Wilfrido Vargas". Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  9. ↑ americasalsa.com. "Biografia de Wilfrido Vargas" (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  10. ↑ Camara de Diputados de la Republica Dominicana. "Dec. No.314-93" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  11. ↑ "How DJ Laz Put The Latin Flavor in Miami Bass". daily.redbullmusicacademy.com. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  12. ↑ IMDB. "Wilfrido Vargas". Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  13. ↑ Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano. "Éxito por intercambio" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  14. ↑ ahora.com.do. "Testigo ilegal, Perico ripiao y Exito por intercambio activan el cine dominicano" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  15. ↑ farandula.co. "Vuelve el Factor XS" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  16. ↑ Valledupar Noticias. ""Maestro Calixto, Colombia entera le agradece su obra": Presidente Santos" (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  17. ↑ La Voz Libre. "El 'Waka Waka' de Shakira, libre de demandas" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2010.
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