Chedi Vergara Biography, Music, Family, Net Worth and Awards

Chedi Vergara Biography, Music, Family, Net Worth and Awards

Chedi Vergara is a Filipino singer in the third line un of the group Smoke Mountain.

Smokey Mountain (band)

Chedi Vergara Biography Image

Smokey Mountain was a Filipino singing group formed by musical director, composer, and conductor Ryan Cayabyab. The original group was based in Manila, Philippines, and had James Coronel, Geneva Cruz, Jeffrey Hidalgo, and Tony Lambino as its original members while Jason Anganan, Chedi Vergara & Zhar Santos joined Coronel for the second lineup after Cruz, Hidalgo & Lambino left the group.

They were often dressed in ragged clothes to depict the then dire situation of the scavengers living in the garbage dump in Manila after which the group was named, while the second lineup dressed up in casuals.
In 1989, the group released its first self-titled pop album that consisted of songs revolving around social, environmental, and patriotic themes. The group’s first hit, Kailan (When), was number one on national airwaves for eight straight weeks and the album hit gold, platinum, and double-platinum status within months of its release.

In late 1990, the group went on the “Better World” tour, performing at the United Nations World Summit for Children and representing the Philippines at the 5th ASEAN Song Festival in Surabaya, Indonesia.

Having to choose between formal schooling and a two-year, two album contract for release in Europe and the U.S., Lambino and Hidalgo left the group, while Cruz pursued a solo career & released her first solo album “I like you”. The Popularity of the group already reached its peak at the time of the departure of the group’s 3 members, however, Ryan Cayabyab held auditions to find new members to fill in the void of the 3 founding members who left the group.

Cayabyab then reformed the group with remaining original member Coronel and three new members Zhar Santos, Chedi Vergara, and Jayson Anganan. This second batch also had successful hits, such as Da Coconut Nut (about the benefits of the coconut plant), Paraiso (literally paradise; ironically, about a degrading environment filled with garbage and smog), and their own version of Kailan.

They also won awards for both Paraiso, “Kahit Habang Buhay” and Tayo Na (Let’s Go).
The media was very critical of the new members who joined Coronel, however in 1992 at the Tokyo Music Festival the new Lineup proved their worth as they won the grand prize in the said contest. They also joined the Golden Kite Festival & won the 2nd. Place trophy, their album also sold more copies than the original lineup’s release & had more tours in Asia.
In around 1993, Coronel would leave the group.

The remnants of the latest batch released the album “Death Penalty” & disbanded a year later.
Cruz would later on move full time into showbiz. Lambino had stints in songwriting, musical theatre, and broadcast news, and finished undergraduate studies at the Ateneo De Manila University.

He completed his masters degree at Harvard University as a Fulbright Scholar and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. Lambino also works at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Hidalgo completed his undergraduate degree at the University of the Philippines and would go into songwriting and turn into a full-time businessman.

Coronel owns call centers in USA, Philippines, India and Sri Lanka. Santos would audition in the fourth edition of the reality show American Idol under the name Sharon Galvez, but was shut out of the semi-finals. Vergara would also cut a solo album of her own with some success.

Chronology of Lineup

Original lineup:
James Coronel
Geneva Cruz
Tony Lambino
Jeffrey Hidalgo

2nd. Lineup
James Coronel
Jason Anganan
Chedi Vergara
Zhar Santos

3rd. Lineup
Jason Anganan
Chedi Vergara
Zhar Santos
Albums

Smokey Mountain
Paraiso
Know You Will
Death Penalty
Smokiest Hits
Notable singles

Note that until recent years, artists in the Philippines never release stand-alone singles.
Can This Be Love
Kahit Habang Buhay
Kailan
Mama
Paraiso
Da Coconut Nut
One less lonely heartja:スモーキー・マウンテ