Sergio Vargas

Sergio Vargas (born March 15, 1963) is a famous merengue singer and, as of 2006, politician, from the Dominican Republic. Along with Freddie Kenton, Milly Quezada, Toňo Rosario, Wilfrido Vargas and Fernando Villalona, Vargas obtained fame in Latin America and Europe during the 1980s and early 1990s. Vargas began his career as a merengue singer in 1980 when he participated in the Festival de la Voz, a Dominican Republic contest that was sponsored by Santo Domingo television's channel 9. He came in second place at that festival. Two years later, Vargas joined Los Hijos del Rey. An orchestra whose frontmen were Fernando Villalona and Raulin Rosendo. He remained there until 1984 when he joined Dionis Fernandez y El Equipo lasting another 2 years. With Dionis, Vargas began becoming famous, as that orchestra had fan bases in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Panama and the Eastern coast of the United States, among other places. Vargas left Dionis in 1986 and became the main lead vocalist for Los Hijos del Rey and released his first full length LP with Karen Records including the hit "La Quiero A Morir", which is indeed a reprise of "Je l'aime à mourir" by french singer Francis Cabrel. He also released another album backed again by LHdR in 1987 scoring another international seccess. Vargas was also awarded in 1988; the Art Critics Association of the Dominican Republic honored him with their Casandra award for his self-titled concert, "Sergio", giving him the Spectacle of the Year award. He also obtained the Casandra award for best video-clip, for a song named "Vampiras". In 1989 he was offered a contract to sign the then CBS International. After much contemplation, he left Karen Records and signed with CBS. 1991 was a particularly productive year in Vargas' career; he earned another Casandra award after participating in a television special named "Este es mi Pais" ("This is my Country"). He also received a Casandra to acknowledge his popularity outside the Dominican Republic and he sang in front of 20,000 spectators at New York's Madison Square Garden as part of that city's Carnival of Merengue. He filmed a television special that was directed by Jean Luis Jorge for Sony Music International. In 1993, Vargas received a golden album, and he was one of the singers that participated in Miami's famous Calle Ocho Festival. Entry into Politics In 2006, Vargas, following in the footsteps of fellow merengue performers-come-politicians Fernando Villalona and Johnny Ventura, was popularly elected to the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Congress, representing his impoverished hometown, Villa Altagracia. Vargas had years earlier launched a protest against claimed government neglect of Villa Altagracia by refusing to cut his hair. Vargas is a member of the Dominican Liberation Party, or PLD.