Biography
Wilfrido Radamés Vargas Martínez, 24 April 1949, Altamira, Puerto Plata province, Dominican Republic. Band leader, trumpeter, lead and chorus singer, arranger, composer and producer Vargas was in the forefront of the 80s merengue boom that engulfed not only established salsa markets but also new territory like Spain. The oldest of 10 children, he started studying at the Municipal Academy of Music at the age of 10. Before he was 12, he was the trumpet soloist and director of a small local band. Leading his band, Los Beduinos (The Bedouins), Vargas debuted with Wilfrido Vargas Y Sus Beduinos, the first of 17 albums on the Karen label in 1974. Half of the album was written by pianist, composer, arranger Sonny Ovalle, who helped shape Los Beduinos original sound and went on to make a significant contribution to Vargas’ key hit albums of the 80s. Among the personnel were future merengue names Bonny Cepeda (band leader, pianist,...
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