Wilfrido Radhames Vargas Martinez was born the 24 of April of 1949, in Altamira, municipality of the province Puerto Plata, and grew up in a familiar atmosphere in which music always occupied an important place, Doña Bienbenida, the mother, played the guitar and flute. From her voice, beautiful songs were heard all the time. Ramon, the father, was a skilful accordionist and good guitarplayer. Both ancestors passed the love for music to him.
At the beginning of the seventies, Wilfrido, moved to the city of Santo Domingo, where he continued developing ideas and musical projects, until in 1972 he formed a group named the Bedouins. Shortly after it appeared Wilfrido Vargas y Orquesta, a dominican group that has contributed to disclose merengue in the diverse zones of Latin America, where that rhythm has mobelized multitudes. All the countries of Central America, the islands of the Caribbean and most of the South American countries have enjoyed the flavor and the music of Wilfrido Vargas.
In 1988 he acted in Ovarius, in "La Plaza Grande" of Rome, in a concert in which he shared the stage with Paul Simon and Miriam Makeba. It was Wilfrido Vargas y Orquesta the first Hispanic group who appeared in the Sport Omni, of France. Wilfrido, next to his orchestra, acted in that important scene in 1989. Already for that then, in the same place had passed the superstars Julio Iglesias, Michael Jackson and Madonna. In that same year he was invited to participate in the Cervantino Festival, celebrated in Mexico, where he offered a historical-didactic concert on the development of merengue.
Wilfrido Vargas y Orquesta was the first Dominican musical set that filled the majestic amphitheatre of Altos de Chavón, an act performed previously only by the great Frank Sinatra. In 1991, Wilfrido was nominated for the Grammy Awards in the category of Better Tropical Genre, for his album titled "Animatión". In 1992, he participated as gueststar in the Festival of "Viña del Mar", in Chile, where he obtained the prize "Gaviota de Plata", award that the Chilean public awarded to the artists appearing in this event, and in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he made three presentations in the Simón Bolivar hall. In 1993, he participated in the Festival of Acapulco and acted in the Museum of Art of the city of New York, during the inauguration of the area dedicated to Latin America. In 1994 he was chosen as Great Marshal of the Carnivals of Barranquilla and participated again in the Festival of "Viña del Mar".
During his carreer, Wilfrido Vargas has won several golden records and platinum for his productions and in 1994 the Dominican Government decorated him with "la Orden Heráldica de Cristóbal Colón" in the degree of "Grado de Caballero", for his contributions in the field of the pop music.


This text is taken from "Los cien músicos del siglo" and translated, published in 2000 by "Cañabrava", in Santo Domingo and written by "el Lic. Antonio Gómez Sotolongo"

1. El africano
2. El barbarazo
3. Abusadora
4. El loco y la luna
5. Volveré
6. Wilfrido dame un consejo
7. El jardinero
8. La medicina
9. Para que no me olvides
10. El hombre divertido
11. El comejen
12. Todo es para ti