Pedro
Vargas
Pedro
Vargas Mata (29 April 1906[1] – 30 October 1989) was a Mexican tenor and actor,
from the golden age of Mexican cinema, participating in more than 70 films. He
was known as the "Nightingale of the Americas", "Song
Samurai" or "Continental Tenor".[2]
Despite
his training in opera, he dedicated his career to popular song, reaching
international recognition and becoming one of the main interpreters of Agustín
Lara.
Biography
Early
life
Vargas
was born in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato on 29 April 1906[1] and died on
30 October 1989, in Mexico City. He was the second of twelve children that José
Cruz Vargas and Rita Mata had.[3]
Born into
a family of modest means, Pedro Vargas sang in the church choir in his hometown
from the age of seven. In 1920, when he was only 14 years old, he came to
Mexico City and immediately began singing in the choirs of several churches and
giving serenades. It was in Colegio Francés de La Salle where he was given a
scholarship to study piano and solfeggio and where he met the composer and
tenor Mario Talavera –his guide and mentor– who recommended him to Professor
José Pierson [es].[1] While he was there he met Jorge Negrete, Alfonso Ortiz
Tirado and Juan Arvizu. José Mojica also recommended him to Alejandro Cuevas,
who offered him free lessons.
Career
He
received the opportunity to participate in the opera "Cavalleria
Rusticana" on 22 January 1928, at the Teatro Esperanza, as he had been
recommended by Jose Pierson. He
traveled to the United States with the Orquesta Tipica (Orquesta Tipica de la
Ciudad de México) de Miguel Lerdo de Tejada.
On his
first visit to Buenos Aires he recorded two of his own compositions for the RCA
Victor label: "Porteñita mía" and "Me fui", with musical
backing from pianist Agüero Pepe and the legendary violinist Elvino Vardaro.
On 12
September 1931, he married María Teresa Camo Jáuregui, who came originally from
a Querétaro family and with whom he had four children, Pedro, Mario, Marcelo
and Alejandro.
He found
great success as one of the best interpreters of the composer Agustín Lara, as
well as many other composers from Latin America, and enabled their music to
traverse the most diverse countries in the continent, mainly Argentina,
Colombia, and Venezuela. With a very extensive repertoire that included lyrical
songs such as "Jinetes en el Cielo", ranchera songs like "Allá
en el Rancho Grande", boleros such as "Obsesión" (sung as a duet
with Beny Moré) and nostalgic songs like "Alfonsina y el mar", Pedro
Vargas received the well-deserved title of "The Nightingale of the
Americas" from the public.
Death
Pedro
Vargas died due to complications with his diabetes while sleeping and suffered
from a heart attack, 30 October 1989, in Mexico City, at the age of
83.[citation needed]
Discography
Long (vinyl)
El Rey Pedro Vargas – RCA VICTOR – 0107LPA
Tracks
– Te Solté la Rienda
– Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez
– A Donde Va Nuestro Amor?
– Mi Paloma Triste #- Volver, Volver
– El Rey #- Cruz de Olvido
– 16 Años
– Eres Tú
– Amor de Mi Vida
– Que Te Vaya Bonito
Así Es Mi Tierra Pedro Vargas y La Rondalla Tapatía –
RCA VICTOR – 0107LPB
Tracks
– Así es mi Tierra
– Soy Puro Mexicano
– Allá en el Rancho Grande
– La Feria de las Flores
– Dos Arbolitos
– Cielito Lindo
– La del Rebozo Blanco
– Fallaste Corazón
– La Barca de Guaymas
– La Huella de Mis Besos
– ¿Sabes De Que Tengo Ganas?
– Viva México
Lo Mejor de Pedro Vargas – Vol 1 Pedro Vargas – RCA
VICTOR – 0107LPC
Tracks
- Mujer
– Te amaré toda la vida
– Noches de Mazatlán
– Esto es felicidad
– Te traigo serenata
– Aquel amor
– Piel canela
– Luna azul
– Te quiero
– Adiós
– La negra noche
– Obsesión
Lo Mejor de Pedro Vargas - Vol 2 Pedro Vargas - RCA
VICTOR - 0107LPD
Tracks
- Quizás, quizás, quizás
- Santa # - Que bonito amor
- Jinetes en el cielo
- Canción mixteca
- Por Que ya no me quieres
- Por que negar
- Acércate más
- La flor de la canela
– Pecado
– Granada
– Rosa
Lo Mejor de Pedro Vargas – Vol 3 Pedro Vargas – RCA
VICTOR – 0107LPE
Tracks
– Quien será
– Lamento borincano
– Suerte loca
– Cuando vivas conmigo
– Despierta
– Perdón
– Pequeña
– Flores negras
– Corazón, corazón
– La última noche
– Amanecí en tus brazos
– Adiós Mariquita linda
Filmography
A
Butterfly in the Night (1977) (voice)
Thank
(1975) TV
Back
(1969)
Retablos
of Guadalupe (1967) ... Retablos
of Tepeyac (Mexico)
La Duquesa (1966) TV
Cucurrucucu
Paloma (1965)
El Study
Raleigh (1964) TV
The
singer cricket Cri Cri (1963) (voice)
The Paper
Man (1963) (voice) ... The Paper Man (International: English title)
Domingos Herdez (1962) TV
Mexico lindo y querido (1961) ... Beautiful
and Beloved Mexico (International: English title)
Three
Black Angels (1960)
Everyone
his music (1959)
Unforgettable
Melodies (1959 ).... Singer
Flor de
canela (1959)
The Life
of Agustín Lara (1959)
"Estudio de Pedro Vargas, El" (1959) TV
Bolero inmortal (1958)
Locos on television (1958)
Mask of
flesh, The (1958)
Music in
the Night (1958)
Music and
Money (1958)
When
Mexico canta (1958)
Locura musical (1958)
Feria de San Marcos, La (1958)
Three
bohemianism The (1957)
Under
naked, La (1957)
Apples
Dorotea, Las (1957)
Zany rock
and roll, Los (1957)
Teatro
del crimen (1957)
"Max
Factor, the stars and you" (1957) TV
Golden
Jubilee (1956) ... Golden Anniversaries (International: English title)
Pensión
artists (1956)
Besos
banned (1956) ... Constant Love (Mexico)
Movida
Chueca, A (1956)
Wet backs
(1955 ).... Worker (International: English title)
De
ranchero a businessman (1954)
Reportaje
(1953 ).... Pedro, unemployed singer
Meat fork (1953 ).... Mocuelo ... Sierra Morena
(Italy: Venice festival title) ... Terror dell'Andalusia, Il (Italy)
Nobody
dies twice (1953)
Piel
canela (1953)
Caribbean
(1953)
Your
memories and I (1953)
Yes .. my
life (1953)
There
once was a husband (1953)
Neither
poor nor rich (1953)
Uncle of
my life (1952)
Forgotten
Faces (1952 ).... Singer
For women
who sins (1952)
The Night
Is Ours (1952)
There is
a child in the future (1952)
Victims
of Divorce (1952)
Del
can-can to mambo (1951)
Burlada
(1951 ).... Pedro
Marquesa
the neighborhood, The (1951 ).... Pedro Vargas / Cantante
In Havana
I go (1951)
It's a
Sin to Be Poor (1950)
Aventurera
(1950 ).... Singer
Also pain
is sung (1950)
I loved
that woman, La (1950)
Lost
(1950)
A Gypsy
in Havana (1950)
Poor
Heart (1950)
Women in
my life (1950)
I want to
be bad (1950)
Abandoned,
The (1949)
Sin for
months, Un (1949)
Eyes of
Youth (1948)
Revenge
(1948)
Here come
the Mendoza (1948)
I killed Alvírez Rosita (1947)
Fantasía ranchera (1947)
Morena my copla, La (1946)
Summer
Hotel (1944)... Summer Hotel (International: English title)
I'm pure
Mexican (1942) ... I'm a Real Mexican (USA: Title in English)
Cavalry
of the Empire (1942 ).... Singer ... Imperial Cavalry (UK: Title in English))
Candida
Millionaire (1941) ... Candida, Millionairess (International: English title)
Laranja-da-China (1940)
Canto a mi tierra (1938) ... Mexico
canta (Mexico)
Hunger
(1938)
Boys of
the press, (1937) ... The Newspaper Boys (USA: Title in English)
With
affection,
Ruben