Carlos Varela

Carlos Alberto Varela was born on 16 July 1909 in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires into a large family of ten children, five boys and five girls. Despite economic constraints he completed primary school and began secondary studies at the Colegio Nacional Mariano Moreno, which he left of his own accord to work first as an errand boy in a commercial firm and later as an employee of the telephone company. His family supported his interest in singing; at age twenty an uncle introduced him to professional work on Radio Prieto, where he performed for several months accompanied by pianist Orestes Cúfaro.^[1][2]

A friend, the lyricist Vicente Planells del Campo (author of “Honda tristeza” and “Ave sin rumbo”), who worked as a living mannequin for a Florida Street tailor shop, presented him to Roberto Firpo. After an audition Firpo hired him late in 1929. The orchestra’s recording sessions took place weekly in the Odeon studios above the Grand Splendid cinema-theater on Avenida Santa Fe near Callao. Varela’s first session, on 27 February 1930, produced the tangos “A Montmartre” and “Qué querés con ese loro.” During 1930 alone he cut 68 numbers, predominantly tangos but also waltzes, foxtrots, pasodobles and rancheras. For public appearances Firpo used a smaller trio that included Miguel Nijensohn (piano), Héctor Presas (bandoneon), D’Amore (violin) and Varela as estribillista.^[1][3][4]

In 1931 Varela was not with Firpo. He toured towns in Buenos Aires province with pianist José Plá and then joined a small group led by Pedro Vergez (former pianist of Juan Bautista Guido), performing at venues such as the Café Germinal on Corrientes. He returned to Firpo in 1932 and continued recording: four titles that year, eight in 1933, twenty in 1934, eighteen in 1935, eleven in 1936, five in 1937 and a final one in August 1938. On some sides second voice was supplied by bandoneonist Héctor Villanueva or violinist Enrique Forte. In 1933 he appeared in Luis Moglia Barth’s film Dancing singing “Desde pebeta” with Firpo’s accompaniment. The 22 March 1935 recording of “Cero a cero” (music by Firpo, lyrics by Venancio Clauso) became widely played in soccer stadiums before matches.^[1][5][6]

After leaving Firpo he worked in fashionable boîtes and as a substitute with Nijensohn. In 1940 he sang Italian songs on Radio Belgrano with Eugenio Nóbile’s light-music orchestra, sharing the station with Alfredo Gobbi and Eduardo del Piano. He auditioned for Juan D’Arienzo but the post went to Alberto Reynal. In 1941 he became staff singer for Miguel Nijensohn; from 1943 to 1945 he was with Enrique Forte’s group, and in 1946 briefly with Miguel Zabala (alongside the singer later known as Jorge Maciel). In 1948 he joined a touring ensemble organized by José García of Los Zorros Grises: García (violin and direction), Pablo García (violin), Pablo González (bandoneon), Carlos Parodi (piano) and Varela (voice). They performed in Villa María, Córdoba, at the Hotel Primavera; after internal differences García, González and Varela purchased the hotel and ran evening entertainments until 1951. There Varela met his second wife, whom he married in 1953.^[1][2]

In 1961 he moved to Rosario and became a transportation entrepreneur until retirement. In later years he regularly visited the Rincón de Lito Bayardo, where his reminiscences of the tango world were noted by local observers. He died on 21 December 1996 in Buenos Aires at the age of 87. tango.info records approximately 299 tracks and 187 tango performances under his name, the great majority with Firpo between 1930 and 1938.^[1][7]

Early life and radio debut

Born into a large family in Flores, Varela finished primary school but left secondary studies to work. An uncle’s introduction led to months of experience on Radio Prieto with Orestes Cúfaro before the decisive meeting with Firpo arranged by Vicente Planells del Campo.^[1]

Years with Roberto Firpo

The core of Varela’s discography was made with Firpo. The 1930 total of 68 titles set a high volume; later annual counts declined but included the stadium-popular “Cero a cero” of 22 March 1935 and the film appearance in Dancing (1933). Second voices by orchestra members occasionally appear on the sides.^[1][5]

Later career and retirement

After 1938 he moved among smaller ensembles (Nijensohn, Forte, Zabala, García) and Italian repertoire on Radio Belgrano. The Villa María hotel venture of 1948–1951 and his 1953 marriage preceded the 1961 move to Rosario and a non-musical business career. Weekly visits to the Rincón de Lito Bayardo kept him connected to tango memory.^[1][2]