The oldest of 10 children, Wilfrido Vargas was born on April 6th, 1949 in Porta Plata, .  Beginning his musical career early, Vergas attended the Municipal Academy of Music at the age of 10 and by 12 was the leader and trumpet soloist for a small band.  It wasn’t until his twenties, however, that Varges found his true style and success.  Teaming up with pianist Sonny Ovalle, Vargas recorded Wilfrido y sus Beduinos, his first of over 20 albums, in 1974.  Four years later, Vargas received international recognition for his hit single “El Barbarazoi”, recorded on Punto y Aparte.  While this album marked the beginning of a very successful career for Vargas, it is seen today as an even greater milestone – Punto y Aparte and especially his later recordings with Sandy Reyes brought Merengue onto an international stage.

 

Though indebted to Johnny Ventura for creating the style and image of modern merengue, Wilfrido is often credited with spearheading the merengue boom of the 80s, in which the Dominican two-step was in style at Latin dance clubs around the world.  With Wilfrido’s unmatched dress and dance, his faster, more danceable beats, merengue could appeal to the younger generation who danced to disco and soul. Wilfrido was particularly open to drawing on foreign music style to enrich merengue, including Haitian, Colombian, and American music. He was the first merengue artist to include rapping in his music, which can be heard on his version of “El Jardiniero.”

 

In 1979, Wilfrido was invited to perform alongside the Fania All-Stars at the historic Havana Jam performances held in – a measure of the international recognition that Vargas had brought to merengue.  Throughout the 80s, Vargas received international acclaim, including a Grammy nomination for his album Animation.  Vargas’s success exposed merengue to the world, showcasing a new wave of Dominican artists that would soon follow in his path.

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WIlfrido Vargas
Caribbean
Dominican Republic
wilfrido vargas
Leader of the merengue boom that catapulted the Dominican dance style to international recognition, Wilfrido Vargas is an upbeat performer with an eye for stylistic innovation. Read more on WIlfrido Vargas...
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