Myrta Silva

Myrta Blanca Silva Oliveros (September 11, 1927 – December 2, 1987) better known as Myrta Silva, was a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and television producer who was known affectionately as "La Gorda de Oro". She rose to fame in 1949 as the lead vocalist for the Cuban ensemble Sonora Matancera.

Early years Myrta Blanca Silva Oliveros was born in the city of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Her father died when she was six years old and she was raised by her mother, who was her inspiration. Silva and her fans referred to her mother as "Mamá Yeya." In 1937, Silva made her first public presentation at the Oliver Theater in Arecibo. In these early years of her music career, she worked an average of twenty-five revue shows a week to support herself.

Circa 1938, In 1939, she made her debut in Brooklyn at the Atlantic Theater, soon becoming a regular at venues like the Teatro Hispano, Teatro Puerto Rico, and Carnegie Hall in New York.

Singing career Silva was working in a cabaret when she was discovered and offered a 10-year contract by RCA. In the late 1930s, she met the Puerto Rican composer Rafael Hernández, who convinced her to join his Cuarteto Victoria. Myrta traveled with the group all over Latin-America. Some time later, she also sang for another composer Pedro Flores in his Sexteto Flores, where she was joined by Daniel Santos and Pedro Ortiz Dávila.

As a composer

In 1941, aged 14, 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. Silva became the first woman certified as a timbalera by the American Federation of Music in 1943. In 1944, she wrote "Así es la vida" ("That's Life") and "Fácil de recordar" ("Easy to Remember") while she was performing in Havana, Cuba. 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 re-created the innovative character of "Madame Chencha." "Madame Chencha" became the first T.V. character dedicated to "rumors." 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.

Silva suffered from dementia in her last years. One day while showering, she accidentally scalded herself with the hot water and suffered third degree burns. Silva died on December 2, 1987, in Arecibo, aged 60 and was buried in Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In 2000 she was posthumously inducted to the International Latin Music Hall of Fame. In 2016 she was posthumously inducted to the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.