Sylvia Rexach

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Sylvia Rexach (January 22, 1922 – October 20, 1961) born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, was a poetess, singer and composer of boleros.

Sylvia Rexach

Sylvia was raised in the Santurce section of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She attended public school where she received her primary education. She then went to a private school where she finished her secondary education before attending the Central High School of Santurce. During her high school years, when she was 14 years old, she wrote several poems which were to become part of her musical compositions. She amazed her teachers when she composed "Di, Corazon" (Tell me, Heart) and "Matiz de Amor" (Calm Love). Sylvia also learned how to play musical instruments, such as the guitar, the piano and the saxophone at a young age.

Sylvia enriolled in the University of Puerto Rico where she was going to take a pre-legal course, however when the United States entered World War II in 1942, Sylvia dropped-out of the university and joined the U. S. Army as a member of the WACS (Women Army Corps Service) where she served as an office clerk.

In 1945, after Sylvia was honorably discharged from the armed forces, she went to New York. There she met and married William Riley with whom she had three children, including Puerto Rican actress Sharon Riley. The marriage went through a crisis and eventually they were divorced. After her divorce, she returned to Puerto Rico where she went to work for a radio station as a comical script writer for comedian Ramón Rivero "Diplo". She was the founder of the first Combo in Puerto Rico consisting entirely of women. They were named "La Damiselas" and besides Sylvia included Millita, Elena, Rita Ortiz and Kety Caban.

In 1951, Sylvia had a newspaper column called "A Sotto Voce" where she was a music critic. She was also a co-founder of The Puerto Rican Society of Women Autors, Composers and Music Editors. She was its Secretary Director, a position which held until the day of her death.

The tones of Sylvia's compositions varied from the soft and romantic to the harsh and tormented. Among the songs written by her and which were "hits" in Puerto Rico and aboard were: "Alma Adentro" (Inner Soul), "Idilio", "Olas y Arenas" (Waves and Sands), "Nave sin Rumbo" (Wondering Ship), "Di, Corazon" and "Matiz de Amor". Despite all of her talent and fame, Sylvia's personal and emocional problems lead her to become an alcoholic.

Sylvia Rexach died on October 20, 1961 in San Juan, Puerto Rico from stomach cancer.

Her compositions have been recorded by many other artists, such as Marco Antonio Muñiz, Danny Rivera, Gilberto Monroig, Chucho Avellanet, Lucecita Benitez, Linda Rodstandt, Ednita Nazario and Lunna. Two television specials were made about Sylvia's life, "Sylvia, en tu Memoria" (Sylvia, in your Memory) and Angela Meyer's "El fondo del Dolor" (In the Deepest Pain) starring Sharon Riley, Sylvia's daughter.

In 2001, Sylvia was posthumously inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame. There is a theater named after Sylvia in San Juan and in the Luis A. Ferre Center of Fine Arts, there is a Sylvia Rexach Cafe Theater.