| Wilfrido Vargas | |
|---|---|
Wilfrido Vargas in 2008 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Wilfrido Radamés Vargas Martínez |
| Born | April 24, 1949 Altamira, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic< |
| Genres | Merengue |
| Occupations | Singer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, trumpeter, actor |
| Instruments | Vocals, Trumpet |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Labels | Karen, Sonotone, Rodven, RCA Intl, Sony BMG |
| Associated acts | Johnny Ventura, Fania All-Stars, Denny Dias, Las Chicas del Can |
Wilfrido Radamés Vargas Martínez[1] (born April 24, 1949) was born in Altamira, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.[2]
He was surrounded by musical influences; namely, his father Ramón, an accordionist and guitarist, and his mother Bienvenida, a flute player and guitarist.[3] Vargas began his musical studies early, attending the Municipal Academy of Music beginning at age 10.[1]
He has been a trumpeter and a vocalist,[4] but has also arranged, composed, and led his band, and is also a producer.[1]
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He began his career with the band "Wilfrido Vargas y sus Beduinos" by recording his first album in 1974.[5]
Alongside many Latin music super stars, he performed during the 1979 music festival Havana Jam.[6]
During the 1980s he had international commercial success with songs such as: "El Barbarazo", "El Jardinero", "La Medicina", and "El Loco y La Luna".
Wilfrido acted in the 1989 film "Que viva el merengue y la lambada".[7]
He was nominated in 1991 for the 33rd Grammy Awards in the Best Tropical Latin Performance for his album Animation.[3] He won a "Gaviota de Plata" (Silver Seagull) in the 1992 Viña del Mar International Song Festival.[8] And in 1993 decorated by the Dominican president Joaquín Balaguer with the Order of Christopher Columbus in the Knight grade, alongside the Dominican musicians Jorge Taveras, Manuel Tejada and Julio Gautreaux for their contribution to the development and divulgation of the national music.[9]
For the telenovela Bellisima, Wilfrido performed the theme song, "Amor Casual" and also performed the song "Que Sera" for the 1997 film Out to Sea.[10]
In 2003 he acted in the drama film "Exito por intercambio".[11][12]
Vargas participated in 2007 at the Colombian version of the X Factor, as the groups mentor.[13]
Today Vargas is one of the best-known artists in America with hit songs such as "El Africano" (written by Calixto Ochoa[14]), "Abusadora", "Comején", "A Mover la Colita", "El Baile del Perrito" and "Volveré".
As of 2010, he lives in Colombia.[15]
| Title | Year | Chart[1] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Songs | ||||
| El Jardinero | 1985 | 3 | ||
| La Medicina | 1986 | 2 | ||
| Vida, cancion y suerte | 1987 | 17 | ||
| La musica | 1987 | 4 | ||
| El Baile | 1988 | 2 | ||
| Mas Que Un loco | 1989 | 9 | ||
| Animacion | 1990 | 9 | ||
| Exitos De | 1990 | 9 | ||
| Siempre Wilfrido | 1990 | 5 | ||
| Itinerario | 1993 | 5 | ||
| Abusadora | 1993 | - | ||
| Wilfrido Vargas & Sandy Reyes | 1994 | - | ||
| El Funcionario | 1994 | - | ||
| La Medicina | 1994 | - | ||
| El Africano | 1999 | - | ||
| El Extraterrestre | 1995 | - | ||
| Usted Se Queda Aqui | 1996 | - | ||
| Y Sus Consentidas | 1996 | - | ||
| Hoy | 1997 | - | ||
| El Africano | 1999 | - | ||
| Wilfrido Vargas | 2000 | - | ||
| www.wilfrido-vargas.com | 2000 | - | ||
| Musica | 2001 | - | ||
| Usted Se Queda Aqui, Vol.8 | 2001 | - | ||
| Amor Casual, Vol. 10 | 2001 | - | ||
| Dos Generaciones | 2002 | - | ||
| El Unico | 2002 | - | ||
| Albums that did not chart are denoted with an "—". | ||||
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | |
| 1989 | Que viva el merengue y la lambada | Himself | |
| 2003 | Exito por intercambio | Himself | |