What is Wilfrido Vargas' Net Worth?
Wilfrido Vargas is a Dominican Republic bandleader, trumpeter, vocalist, arranger, composer and producer who has a net worth of $2 million. Wilfrido Vargas was born April 24, 1949 in Altamira, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. He is credited with being highly instrumental in turning merengue into a worldwide phenomenon. His father is Ramón Vargas, an accordionist and guitarist, and his mother Bienvenida, a flute player and guitarist. He began his musical studies early, attending the Municipal Academy of Music beginning at age 10. Before he was 12, he was the trumpet soloist and director of a small local band. It was in his twenties, however, that he achieved commercial and critical successes. His band Los Beduinos produced their first album, Wilfrido Vargas y sus Beduinos, on the Karen label in 1974. It was the first of 17 albums that Vargas would record with Karen.
Half of that first album was written by pianist and composer Sonny Ovalle, who helped develop Los Beduinos' sound and who would later make major contributions to Vargas' hit albums in the '80s. Vargas' first big hit came with his fourth album, Punto y Aparte! (1978). It produced the hit single El Barbarazoí and helped touch off a worldwide merengue craze, providing exposure for scores of Dominican artists. In 1987, he switched to the Sonotone label and produced five albums with them, including Animation, which received a 1989 Grammy nomination. From 1991 on he was with the Rodven label, and though he remained a major name in merengue he would never again achieve the prominence enjoyed in the '80s. Vargas also made a major contribution to the Fania All-Stars, joining them for their historic performances in Cuba in 1979 and contributing to the recording of the All Stars' Habana Jam album. Today Vargas is one of the best known artists in Latin America.
