Salustino Paco Varela was born on January 29th, 1914 in Avellaneda, where he lived during his childhood and youth.  He graduated as a National Public Accountant,  but he never worked as one because he started in the music business when he was very young. He learned how to play the "fueye" on his own, but later he studied with a teacher, Eladio Blanco. When he was 16 he was second bandoneon of Salvador Grupillo's orchestra. After that he was a part of  Alberto Gambino's orchestra and they appeared on the radio show "Chispazos de Tradición" ("Sparks of tradition"). Then he was in Tita Merello's accompaniment. In 1934 he played in D'Arienzo's orchestra till he was convoked by Enrique Santos Discepolo to play in Municipal radio. Then he accompanied Libertad Lamarque in Belgrano radio. In 1939 he formed his own orchestra, but it broke up at the end of the same year because D'Arienzo convoked him again. This orchestra was formed by: Cayetano Puglisi (Violin), Carlos Lazzari (Bandoneon), Fulvio Salamanca (Piano), Alberto Reynal (Voice), Hector Varela (First bandoneon). During ten years this orchestra´s career was full of success and unforgettable recordings such as: "Mirame a la cara" ("Look at my face"), "Lilian", "Si supiera que la extraño" ("If she knew I missed her"), "Salí de perdedor" ("I´m not a loser anymore"), "Chichipía", "Don Alfonso", "Te espero en Rodriguez Peña" ("I´ll wait for you at Rodriguez Peña"), D'Arienzo recorded twenty Varela's songs.
At the beginnings of the 50's tango needed a new rhythm, and Hector Varela formed his own orchestra, he presented an adjusted group of rythm and a personal sound. His musicians were: Cesar "Potrillo"Zagnoli (piano), Antonio Marchese and Alberto San Miguel (bandoneon), Hugo Baralis and Mario Abramovich (violins) and Armando Laborde and Rodolfo Lessica (singers). With this orchestra he recorded for "Pampa" company with the tangos "El flete" ("The freight") and "Tal para cual" ("Two of a kind"), he inaugurated an extensive discography following, always, the same line, in a schematic style. He played "Se mira y no se toca" ("You can look but you cannot touch") and "Viejo rincon" ("Old corner"). In 1952 Armando Laborde left the orchestra and Argentino Ledesma sang with Lessica "Novia provinciana" ("Provincian girlfriend"), "Yo tambien" ("Me too") and "Canzoneta" which was composed by Ema Suarez, Varela's wife, with whom he had a boy, Hector Varela Suarez, who was born on July 8th, 1951. He was a musician as his father, but he played the guitar in a rock group, till in 1970 he played the guitar with his father and Varelita's guitar stayed in the orchestra. In 1954 they were contracted to play in Brazil. They performed in "El Chantecler", in "Marabu" and in "Mi club", they played in the clubs Boca, River, Huracan and in his beloved Independiente. He acted in "Glostora Tango Club". In the 60's Alejandro Romay appeared with his "Grandes Valores del Tango" where he showed new artists such as Rossana Falasca, Guillermo Fernandez, María Garay and always with Hector Varela's orchestra. In the 80's he was a part of almost every T.V. and radio shows. Some of his most popular compositions are: "Don Orlando", "Cielo y luna" ("Ski and moon"), "Amigos de la noche" ("Friends of the night"), "Tal para cual" ("Two of a kind"), "Gaucha", "Así bailaban mis abuelos" ("My grandparents used to dance like this"), "Sábado Inglés" ("English Saturday"), "La viruta" ("Wood shaving"), "El choclo" ("The green ear of corn"), "El espiante" (The spy), "El pollo Ricardo", "Mi fama de burrero", "Azucar, pimienta y sal" ("Sugar, pepper and salt"), "Quien me robó tu corazón" ("Who stole your heart from me"). He died on January 30th, 1987 when he was 73 years old.