Mike Vargas : From a South Philadelphia to the ends of the Earth Raised culturally diverse environment

Mike Vargas was born in the Bella Vista section of South Philadelphia as second youngest of five children born to Puerto Rican native man, and a his Italian bride. Creating music was an integral part of life in both his father’s and mother’s families. Also both families were heavily involved in poetry art and performance arts. As he grew up Mike was constantly surrounded by relatives that were always involved making either art, music or literature. Being raised in this atmosphere caused Mike to developed a severe creative compulsive disorder, which is a constant desire make some something new.

Margaret Marrazzo Vargas, Mike’s Mother, always enjoyed telling the story of how her youngest son was always good at working with his hands. Her little boy was barely able to walk, wonder away from her in their home and found his mother old style sewing machine in the next room. With nothing else, but his bare hands he totally dismantled the device. This is a trademark of Mike’s life. He likes to takes things apart and put them back together in different ways. Not only does he approach physical things in this manner, but also this pertaining to life and relationships. His creative tendencies were quickly identified in school days.

In elementary school, Mike was tested and found to have an extremely high aptitude in art and music. His teachers were excited to tell his family what they found. However the family, took to mean that he was just a member of the family. At the age of eight year he Mike was fascinated with the instruments that his older siblings, and cousins were playing. I was a this time he received his first instrument a Hohner Old Stand by harmonica. From that time he was never with out one. Some of the first song that he wrote came from melodies that he worked out on harmonica and later translated to guitar.

From visual art to music:

In Central high his instructors saw the same talents that he displayed in elementary school. They placed him in the advanced art program. As an high school he was in several visual arts competition, and did quite well, drawing the attention of the art community in Philadelphia. At the age of 15 he was featured in American Artist magazine as an up and coming Picasso. He was offered a four year scholar ship to Pratt School of Art in New York, but elected to stay in Philadelphia and attended the Pa, Academy of Fine Art, He attended the Academy for one year, his work was popular, but he was not. The Art community and Mike Vargas at that time followed the beat of different drums. With the formation of YouTube Mike found a new creative outlet. For the first time he was able to you his visual art talent and passion for music together. Mike wrote performed his original blues gospel music, and created videos for them. Later created a Reverbnation page and started to share his music, and was surprised when he was given opportunities to perform live. According to Mike Vargas, his music is not about making money, but making life better for some one else. Mike takes from his own life experience and uses that for his music content, with the hope that what he has been through will help someone else in their life’s journey. His sound takes from Puerto Rico Folk music, tradition Italian music, American folk blues, with some South Philly String band sound. Currently Mike working on putting out an album of original blues music. To fund this project Mike has established a Patreon page and am selling music through band camp.

After taking some time off due to a heart break. Mike is just starting to do live shows again. Because the goal his music is to help people instead of making money to a bare minimum, so that those do not have much can take what they need. Mike believes that music was given out for the good of men, so Mike Vargas makes music to do men good.

Though he was featured in recently released Lifoti's October/November 2019 issue 10, you can check it from below link's for your country: