PEDRO VARGAS

Biography

Pedro Vargas Mata (San Miguel Allende, 29 April 1906 – Mexico City on 30 October 1989) was a Mexican singer and actor, from the golden age of Mexican cinema. He was known as the “Nightingale of the Americas”.

Born into a family of modest means, Pedro Vargas sang in the church choir in his hometown from the age of seven. In 1920 he came to Mexico City and immediately began singing in the choirs of several churches and giving serenades. He met the composer and tenor Mario Talavera, his guide and mentor, who recommended him to Professor José Pierson. Pedro Vargas received voice training from Pierson, and soon after, the opportunity to participate in the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana” on January 22, 1928 at the Teatro Esperanza.

He traveled to the United States with the Orquesta Tipica de Miguel Lerdo de Tejada. On his first visit to Buenos Aires he recorded two of his own compositions for the Victor label: “Porteñita mía” and “Me fui”, with musical backing from pianist Agüero Pepe and the legendary violinist Elvino Vardaro. He was one of the best interpreters of the composer Agustín Lara, as well as many other composers from Latin America with great success, 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.