Chelo Silva – La Reina Tejana Del Bolero / Arhoolie CD-423

Chelo is one of the pioneer Texas-born Mexican-American recording artists responsible for the popularization of Mexican music in the United States. She achieved the status of an internationally acclaimed performer, whose work was known and loved throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Many of the boleros that Chelo Silva performed and included in her repertoire also reflected a certain nontraditional, almost rebellious image, generally not adopted by female singers. Her songs spoke of love affairs gone awry, betrayals, and desires that could not be subdued.

This CD represents the fruits of Chelo’s recording sessions for Ideal Records from the late 1950s and early 60s. The CD ends with an excerpt from a 1983 live radio broadcast which allows us a glimpse of Chelo’s performance style later in life in front of an appreciative audience.