Myrta Silva (September 11, 1917 – December 2, 1987) was a Puerto Rican singer, composer and television producer. She was known affectionately as "La Gorda De Oro".
Contents |
Silva's father died when she was only six years old. She was raised by her mother, who also served as her source of inspiration and whom Silva and her fans referred to as "Mama Yeya". In 1927, Silva made her first public presentation at the "Oliver Theater" in Arecibo. In 1928, Silva and her mother moved to New York, where she was to start a career in radio, theater and musical plays.[1]
Silva worked in a cabaret when she was "discovered" and offered a 10 year contract by "RCA". In the late 1930s, she met the renowned Puerto Rican composer Rafael Hernández, who convinced her to join his "Cuarteto Victoria". Myrta traveled with the group all over Latin-America. Sometime later, she was also to sing for another renowned composer, Pedro Flores in his "Sexteto Flores, where she was joined by Daniel Santos and Pedro Ortiz Davila (aka "Davilita").[2]
| External audio | |
|---|---|
| You may listen to Awilda Pedroza's interpretation of Silvas "Qué sabes tú?" here. | |
| and to Luciano Quiñones piano interpretation here | |
In 1941, Silva composed her first song "Cuando Vuelvas" (When you return) recorded by Ruth Fernández. In 1942, she composed "En Mi Soledad" (In My Solitude), recorded by Daniel Santos, which became a hit in Latin-America and in the Latin communities in the United States. In 1944, she wrote "Asi es la Vida", (That's Life) and "Facil de Recordar" (Easy to Remember), which she wrote while she was performing in Havana, Cuba.[1]
Silva had become an international singing star and was known as "The Queen of the Guarachera" by her public in Latin-America. From 1947 to 1949, she became the lead singer in the legendary Cuban guaracha-group, the Sonora Matancera, while at the same time she continued to compose and to receive many recognitions for her work. Traveling throughout Latin America with the group, Silva acquired many acclaims due to her performances, Argentina named her the "best-selling artist" in that country and in 1950, she was proclaimed by the pre-Castro Cuban government "The Most Popular Artist". When she decided to leave the group in the early 1950, she was replaced by Celia Cruz a young school teacher turned singer who went on to become known as the "Queen of Salsa".
In 1956, Silva produced and transmitted from New York a television program, Una Hora Contigo (An Hour with You). The show was transmitted by Canal 4 in Puerto Rico and Myrta moved back to the island. In her show she created the innovative character of "Madame Chencha". "Madame Chencha" became the first T.V. character dedicated to "rumors".[3] This character created a lot of controversy between public figures and the television station, and as a consequence, Silva decided to leave the program and return to New York City.[1]
In New York, she composed "Puerto Rico del Alma" (Puerto Rico of my Soul). Between 1962 and 1964, she composed the following hit songs: "Que Sabes Tu" ("What do you know?"), "Tengo que Acostumbrarme" ("I Have To Get Used To It"), "Juguetes del Destino" ("Toys of Destiny"), and many others.[2] Among her recordings are the following: Voces Romanticas de Puerto Rico (Romantic voices of Puerto Rico), La Bombonera de San Juan (The Bombonera of San Juan) and La Compositora E interprete (The Composer and Interpreter).
| External audio | |
|---|---|
| You may listen to Myrta Silva's interpretation of Rafael Hernandez's "Eso No Son De Aqui" (Those are not from here} here. | |
During the mid 60"s Silva hosted a weekly music variety TV show "Una Hora Contigo" (An Hour with You) on New York Cities first Spanish language television station, WNJU-TV Channel 47. The program was hugely popular among the Latino audience prompting the station to add an additional weekly program hosted by Silva titled "Tira y Tapate".
In the 1970s, Silva wrote "No Te Vayas de Mi Vida" (Stay In My Life) which was recorded and made popular by Evelyn Souffront. In 1971, Silva returned to Puerto Rico with her television show "Una Hora Contigo" which this time was transmitted on Canal 11. This show was among the most popular programs in Puerto Rico.[2]
Silva was active in many charities and she also participated in many pro-Hispanic activities in the U.S. During the 1980s Silva had a program in the government television channel dedicated to music and composers.
Silva suffered from senility or Alzheimer's disease in her last years. One day while showering, she accidentally scalded herself with the hot water and suffered 3rd degree burns. Myrta Silva died on December 2, 1987, in Arecibo, aged 70 and was buried in "Cementerio Antiguo de San Juan" (old San Juan Cemetery) in San Juan, Puerto Rico.