Flor Silvestre
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Guillermina Jiménez Chabolla (16 August 1930 – 25 November 2020), known professionally as Flor Silvestre, was a Mexican singer and actress. She was one of the most prominent and successful performers of
Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
and
Latin American music The music of Latin America refers to music originating from Latin America, namely the Romance-speaking regions of the Americas south of the United States. Latin American music also incorporates African music from enslaved African people who wer ...
, and was a star of classic Mexican films during the
Golden Age of Mexican cinema The Golden Age of Mexican cinema ( es, Época de Oro del Cine Mexicano) is a period in the history of the Cinema of Mexico between 1930 and 1969 when the Mexican film industry reached high levels of production, quality and economic success of its ...
. Her more than 70-year career included stage productions, radio programs, records, films, television programs,
comics a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...
, and
rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaq ...
shows. Famed for her melodious voice and unique singing style, hence the nicknames "''La Sentimental''" ("The Sentimental One") and "''La Voz Que Acaricia''" ("The Voice That Caresses"), Flor Silvestre was a notable interpreter of the
ranchera Ranchera () or canción ranchera is a genre of traditional music of Mexico. It dates to before the years of the Mexican Revolution. Rancheras today are played in virtually all regional Mexican music styles. Drawing on rural traditional folk musi ...
,
bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...
, bolero ranchero, and
huapango is a family of Mexican music styles. The word likely derives from the Nahuatl word that literally means 'on top of the wood', alluding to a wooden platform on which dancers perform dance steps. It is interpreted in different forms, the most c ...
genres. She recorded more than 300 songs for three labels:
Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region i ...
, RCA Víctor, and
Musart Discos Musart is a Mexican record label founded in 1948. It is headquartered in Mexico City and remains one of the country's biggest labels, focusing on Mexican music, as well as international releases licensed from various labels around the world. ...
. In 1945, she was announced as the "''Alma de la Canción Ranchera''" ("Soul of Ranchera Song"), and in 1950, the year in which she emerged as a radio star, she was proclaimed the "''Reina de la Canción Mexicana''" ("Queen of Mexican Song"). In 1950, she signed a contract with Columbia Records and recorded her first hits, which include "Imposible olvidarte", "Que Dios te perdone", "Pobre corazón", "Viejo nopal", "
Guadalajara Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Mexico, while the Guadalaj ...
", and " Adoro a mi tierra". In 1957, she began recording for Musart Records and became one of the label's exclusive artists with numerous best-selling singles, such as " Cielo rojo", "Renunciación", "Gracias", "Cariño santo", " Mi destino fue quererte", "Mi casita de paja", "Toda una vida", "Amar y vivir", " Gaviota traidora", "El mar y la esperanza", "Celosa", "Vámonos", "Cachito de mi vida", "Miel amarga", "Perdámonos", "Tres días", "No vuelvo a amar", "Las noches las hago días", "Estrellita marinera", and "La basurita", among others. Many of her hits charted on ''Cashbox'' Mexico's Best Sellers and ''Record World'' Latin American Single Hit Parade. She also participated in her husband
Antonio Aguilar José Pascual Antonio Aguilar Márquez Barraza (17 May 191919 June 2007) was a Mexican singer, actor, songwriter, equestrian, film producer, and screenwriter with a dominating career in music. He recorded over 150 albums, which sold 25 mill ...
's musical rodeo shows. Flor Silvestre appeared in more than seventy films between 1950 and 1990. Beautiful and statuesque, she became one of the leading stars of the "golden age" of the Mexican film industry. She made her acting debut in the film '' Primero soy mexicano'' (1950), directed by and co-starring
Joaquín Pardavé Joaquín Pardavé Arce (30 September 1900 – 20 July 1955) was a Mexican film actor, director, songwriter and screenwriter of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He was best known for starring and directing various comedy films during the 1940 ...
. She played opposite famous comedians, such as
Cantinflas Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 – 20 April 1993), known by the stage name Cantinflas (), was a Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is considered to have been the most widely-accomplished Mexican comedian and is cel ...
in ''
El bolero de Raquel ''El bolero de Raquel'' (aka ''Raquel's Shoeshiner'') is a 1957 Mexican comedy film directed by Miguel M. Delgado and starring Cantinflas, Manola Saavedra, Flor Silvestre, and child actor Paquito Fernández. The film's art direction was by Gunth ...
'' (1957). Director Ismael Rodríguez gave her important roles in '' La cucaracha'' (1959), and '' Ánimas Trujano'' (1962), which was nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
. She was also the star of the comic book '' La Llanera Vengadora''. In 2013, the Association of Mexican Cinema Journalists honored her with the Special Silver Goddess Award. Silvestre died on 25 November 2020 at her home in Villanueva, Zacatecas.


Life and career


1930–1943: Childhood

Flor Silvestre was born Guillermina Jiménez Chabolla on 16 August 1930 in
Salamanca Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Herit ...
,
Guanajuato Guanajuato (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato), is one of the 32 states that make up the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 46 municipalities and its capital city i ...
,
Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...
. She was the third child and second daughter of Jesús Jiménez Cervantes, a butcher, and María de Jesús Chabolla Peña (1906 – 5 September 1993). Her father owned and ran a meat shop in Salamanca. Her older siblings are Francisco "Pancho" and Raquel, and her younger siblings are Enriqueta "La Prieta Linda", José Luis, María de la Luz "Mary", and Arturo. Enriqueta and María de la Luz also became singers. Her maternal grandparents were Felipe Chabolla and Inés Peña. Guillermina was raised in Salamanca and began singing at an early age. Her parents, who were also fond of singing, encouraged her to sing. She loved the
mariachi Mariachi (, , ) is a genre of regional Mexican music that dates back to at least the 18th century, evolving over time in the countryside of various regions of western Mexico. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, t ...
music of famous Mexican singers Jorge Negrete and Lucha Reyes, and also sang songs that belonged to the
pasodoble Pasodoble ( Spanish: ''double step'') is a fast-paced Spanish military march used by infantry troops. Its speed allowed troops to give 120 steps per minute (double the average of a regular unit, hence its name). This military march gave rise ...
,
tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
, and
bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...
genres, which were popular in Mexico in the late 1930s. Her interest in singing and acting led her to participate in Christmas pageants, school plays, and local festivals. Her mother, who wanted to live in
Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
, urged her father to sell all their property in Salmanca and relocate the family to the Mexican capital. María de Jesús took her three youngest children with her to Mexico City, leaving the oldest four (including Guillermina) in Salamanca in the care of her sisters, who were nuns. Guillermina completed primary school in Salamanca before reuniting with her family in Mexico City. In Mexico City, her parents enrolled her in the Escuela Bancaria Comercial Milton on Madero Avenue, where she took secretarial classes.


1943–1949: Early stage and radio success

Guillermina Jiménez (Flor Silvestre) began her singing career in 1943, when she was 13 years old. She and her father attended a performance of the famous Mariachi Pulido at the Teatro del Pueblo, a
theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...
located in the Abelardo L. Rodríguez Market in central Mexico City. After the performance was over, she got up on stage and told the stage director that she wanted to sing. The Mariachi Pulido's director refused to accompany her, stating that they did not collaborate with amateurs, but the stage director, Carlos López Santillán, told her that he would let her sing the following week and promised to hire a mariachi from the Tenampa bar to perform with her. On the day of her debut, wearing a traditional Mexican blouse and skirt her mother had made for her, she sang three popular songs, "La canción mexicana", "Yo también soy mexicana", and "El herradero". Her performance was a great success and she received an ovation from the audience. Her next performance at the Teatro del Pueblo was in the play ''La soldadera'', directed by López Santillán, in which she played a girl who comes out of a
railway wagon A railroad car, railcar (American and Canadian English), railway wagon, railway carriage, railway truck, railwagon, railcarriage or railtruck (British English and UIC), also called a train car, train wagon, train carriage or train truck, is a ...
and sings "La soldadera", a song written for her by José de Jesús Morales. The play was also broadcast by Mexico's national radio station, XEFO, and "La soldadera" became the first song she performed on radio. The title of the song, which is Spanish for "the female soldier", also became her first stage name until it was claimed by another singer. Arturo Blancas, an ''
Excélsior ''Excélsior'' is a daily newspaper in Mexico City. It is the second oldest paper in the city after '' El Universal'', printing its first issue on March 18, 1917. History ''Excélsior'' was founded by Rafael Alducin and first published in Me ...
'' journalist and XEFO announcer, thought she looked more "like a flower" than a soldier and suggested she change her stage name to La Amapola, which means "the poppy". However, this stage name was also claimed by another woman, the sister of singer La Panchita. Blancas then chose the title of
Dolores del Río María de los Dolores Asúnsolo y López Negrete (3 August 1904 – 11 April 1983), known professionally as Dolores del Río (), was a Mexican actress. With a career spanning more than 50 years, she is regarded as the first major female Latin Am ...
's 1943 drama film as the young singer's new stage name, and Guillermina Jiménez became Flor Silvestre, which means "wild flower". Under her new stage name, Flor Silvestre won first place in an amateur contest sponsored by Mexico's most popular radio station, XEW, known as "the voice of Latin America from Mexico". Her participation in the contest earned her a contract to sing in
revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...
s at the Teatro Colonial, located on San Juan de Letrán Avenue (now Eje Central). The Teatro Colonial was "Mexico's most popular heater in the 1940s, and Flor Silvestre's performances there were noticed by a showman who hired her as part of his touring company. The showman and his company toured
Torreón Torreón () is a city and seat of Torreón Municipality in the Mexican state of Coahuila. As of 2021, the city's population was 735,340. The metropolitan population as of 2015 was 1,497,734, making it the ninth-biggest metropolitan area in ...
, in northern Mexico, where Flor Silvestre was the opening act of the touring company's headliner, the famous Argentine tango singer Hugo del Carril. Flor Silvestre's family was experiencing financial problems at the time, and she sang at banquets and other places in order to win more money and help her parents. In December 1945, Flor Silvestre performed at
Guadalajara Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Mexico, while the Guadalaj ...
's Coliseo Olímpico and was announced as "Flor Silvestre, the Soul of Ranchera Song". In November 1946, she was invited to perform at the inauguration of Guadalajara's Juárez movie theater. The Guadalajara newspaper '' El Informador'' described her as "Flor Silvestre, young XEW singer, who represents the feeling of our land within the ranchera song". Between 1947 and 1949, Flor Silvestre and the showman's company toured
Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
and
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...
, performing at the best nightclubs along the way. Hugo del Carril presented Flor Silvestre to audiences when the company toured
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest ...
. The company eventually made its way to
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
, where they performed for the Mexican Air Force, before returning to Mexico.


1950–1952: Acting debut and first records

When Flor Silvestre returned to Mexico from her South American tour in 1950, her manager got her a contract to perform at Mexico City's most popular nightclub, El Patio. She later said: " Emilio Azcárraga and Gregorio Walerstein went there every day, and everyone saw me there, and they all hired me without me asking for anything, and everyone called me and called me, and that's how I started ingingon the XEW tation. Azcárraga, the owner of XEW, Mexico's top station, gave her her first radio program, ''Increíble pero cierto'', which she also hosted. Walerstein, a leading film producer known as "the
Tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East and South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the ter ...
of Mexican films", signed her to a five-film contract. With the success of her radio program, her singing career began to ascend. Journalist Mónica Fio wrote in her column "Micrófono": Flor Silvestre made her first records in 1950 for
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...
' Mexican branch. She recorded at least twelve songs for the label, one on each side of six 78 rpm singles. These songs also became her first hits. "Imposible olvidarte", "Que Dios te perdone", "Pobre corazón", "Viejo nopal", "Guadalajara", and "Mi amigo el viento" were recorded with Gilberto Parra's mariachi. "Siempre el amor", "Con un polvo y otro polvo", "Adoro a mi tierra", "La presentida", "Llorar amargo", and "Oye, morena" were recorded with Rubén Fuentes' mariachi. After recording her first singles, Flor Silvestre formed a duet named Las Flores with her then-unknown sister
La Prieta Linda Enriqueta "Queta" Jiménez Chabolla (4 July 1933 – 21 September 2021), known by her stage name La Prieta Linda ("The Beautiful Dark-skinned Woman"), was a Mexican singer and actress. She was part of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Early lif ...
; they recorded two songs—"Los desvelados" and "Lo traigo en la sangre" (with Rubén Fuentes' mariachi)—for Columbia. In February 1950, she was a part of the "numerous, hybrid, but useful cast" of ''¡A los toros!'', a revue about bullfighting staged at the Teatro Tívoli. It was written and presented by announcer Paco Malgesto, who would become her second husband. In the revue, she sang Mexican musical numbers associated with bullfights. Although Flor Silvestre had made her film debut in 1949 singing in ''Te besaré en la boca'' (released in 1950), she was given her first leading role in the Walerstein production '' Primero soy mexicano'' (1950), co-starring
Joaquín Pardavé Joaquín Pardavé Arce (30 September 1900 – 20 July 1955) was a Mexican film actor, director, songwriter and screenwriter of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He was best known for starring and directing various comedy films during the 1940 ...
(who also wrote and directed the film) and Luis Aguilar and featuring Francisco "Charro" Avitia. She was reunited with her ''Primero soy mexicano'' co-stars Luis Aguilar and Francisco Avitia in the film '' El tigre enmascarado'', which premiered in 1951. She then appeared as the
leading lady A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...
of actor Dagoberto Rodríguez in a film trilogy, ''El lobo solitario'', ''La justicia del lobo'', and ''Vuelve el lobo'' (all released in 1952).


1955–1957: Return to films and television debut

In early 1955, Flor Silvestre sang on the XEW radio program ''Su programa Calmex'', sponsored by Calmex Sardines. Other entertainers on the program included Miguel Aceves Mejía, the Trío Tariácuri, and the Hermanitas de Alba. In 1955, she also appeared in her first color film, ''La doncella de piedra'', one of the first Mexican
CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its creation in 1953 by ...
productions. An adaptation of
Rómulo Gallegos Rómulo Ángel del Monte Carmelo Gallegos Freire (2 August 1884 – 5 April 1969) was a Venezuelan novelist and politician. For a period of nine months during 1948, he governed as the first freely elected president in Venezuela's history. He was ...
' novel ''Sobre la misma tierra'', the film features Flor Silvestre in the role of Cantaralia Barroso, the mother of the novel's protagonist, Remota Montiel (played by
Elsa Aguirre Elsa Irma Aguirre Juárez (born 25 September 1930) is a Mexican actress. Career At the beginning of her career she was discovered when she was teenager, in a beauty contest held by a cinematographic production company called ''CLASA Films Mund ...
). Flor Silvestre had one of the starring roles in the stage play ''La hacienda de Carrillo'', a revue which opened on 1 July 1955 at the new Teatro Ideal. Written by Carlos M. Ortega and Pablo Prida, the play was about "a hacienda in the interior f the country whose owner leaves his land to embrace politics, become a deputy, and come to the metropolis in the company of his daughters". Theater critic Armando de María y Campos wrote that the cast included "the radio singer Guillermina Jiménez de Rubiales, better known as Flor Silvestre, very beautiful and young too, and also very tender as a vedette". That same month, Flor Silvestre, Agustín Lara, Pedro Vargas, Rosa de Castilla, and others provided musical performances for the film ''La virtud desnuda'' (released in 1957), a Calderón Films production starring
Columba Domínguez Columba Domínguez Alarid (March 4, 1929 – August 13, 2014) was a Mexican actress, singer, and painter. She is remembered particularly for her performance in the film '' Pueblerina'' (1949). Biography Early life Columba Domínguez Alarid was b ...
. Her first film co-starring
Antonio Aguilar José Pascual Antonio Aguilar Márquez Barraza (17 May 191919 June 2007) was a Mexican singer, actor, songwriter, equestrian, film producer, and screenwriter with a dominating career in music. He recorded over 150 albums, which sold 25 mill ...
, her future husband, was ''La huella del chacal''. That same year she played a swarthy maid named Liliana in ''Rapto al sol'', a color film shot in
Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...
. In 1957,
RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
released her first recording of "Cielo rojo", which would become one of her
signature song A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. The writer of a ...
s. The single, which included "¡Qué padre es la vida!" on side B, became a hit. On Mother's Day 1957, she made her television debut with a successful performance in the television play ''Secreto de familia'', with Sara García and Miguel Arenas. One of her famous roles was as Leonor, the mother of
Cantinflas Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 – 20 April 1993), known by the stage name Cantinflas (), was a Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is considered to have been the most widely-accomplished Mexican comedian and is cel ...
' godson, in the popular
Eastmancolor Eastmancolor is a trade name used by Eastman Kodak for a number of related film and processing technologies associated with color motion picture production and referring to George Eastman, founder of Kodak. Eastmancolor, introduced in 1950, was on ...
comedy ''
El bolero de Raquel ''El bolero de Raquel'' (aka ''Raquel's Shoeshiner'') is a 1957 Mexican comedy film directed by Miguel M. Delgado and starring Cantinflas, Manola Saavedra, Flor Silvestre, and child actor Paquito Fernández. The film's art direction was by Gunth ...
'' (1957).


1958–1963: First recordings for Musart Records and ''Ánimas Trujano''

She received top billing for the first time in ''Pueblo en armas'' (1959) and its sequel ''¡Viva la soldadera!'' (1960), both directed by Miguel Contreras Torres. She had a supporting role opposite
María Félix María de los Ángeles Félix Güereña (; 8 April 1914 – 8 April 2002) was a Mexican actress and singer. Along with Pedro Armendáriz and Dolores del Río, she was one of the most successful figures of Latin American cinema in the 1940s and ...
in Ismael Rodríguez's
Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
epic '' La cucaracha'' (1959). She also recorded "Te he de querer", "La chancla", and "La Valentina" for the film's soundtrack album, ''La cucaracha: Música de la película'', released by
Musart Records Discos Musart is a Mexican record label founded in 1948. It is headquartered in Mexico City and remains one of the country's biggest labels, focusing on Mexican music, as well as international releases licensed from various labels around the world. ...
. '' Flor Silvestre'', her first Musart album, was released around 1958. It includes her early Musart hits, such as "El ramalazo", "¡Qué bonito amor!", "La flor de la canela", "Échame a mí la culpa", "Ay el amor", "Lágrimas del alma", and "Amémonos". In 1960, she starred opposite the popular comedy duo Viruta and Capulina in ''Dos locos en escena''. In 1961, she rerecorded " Cielo rojo" for Musart, accompanied by Pepe Villa's Mariachi México. This second version also became a success and is the first track of her second Musart album, ''Flor Silvestre con el Mariachi México''. The album also includes her early 1960s hits, "Pa' todo el año", "Renunciación", "Desolación", "El peor de los caminos", "Aquel inmenso amor", and "Para morir iguales". One of her major roles was as Catalina, the beautiful, sensuous flirt, in the Oscar-nominated,
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
-winning drama film '' Ánimas Trujano'' (1962), co-starring Toshiro Mifune and
Columba Domínguez Columba Domínguez Alarid (March 4, 1929 – August 13, 2014) was a Mexican actress, singer, and painter. She is remembered particularly for her performance in the film '' Pueblerina'' (1949). Biography Early life Columba Domínguez Alarid was b ...
. This was her second collaboration with film director Ismael Rodríguez after her supporting role in ''La cucaracha''.


1964–1969: Multiple albums

In early 1964, she released her third Musart album, ''Flor Silvestre con el Mariachi México, vol. 2'', which includes her hits "Gracias", "Perdí la partida", "Bendición de Dios", "Árboles viejos", "Te digo adiós", "Un jarrito", "Quédate esta vez", and "Plegaria". Her fourth Musart album, '' La sentimental'' (1964), includes both
ranchera Ranchera () or canción ranchera is a genre of traditional music of Mexico. It dates to before the years of the Mexican Revolution. Rancheras today are played in virtually all regional Mexican music styles. Drawing on rural traditional folk musi ...
and
bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...
songs. It is her first album without mariachi arrangements; Benjamín "Chamín" Correa is credited as the album's guitarist. ''La sentimental'' peaked at number 9 on ''
Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of the three main music industry trade magazines in the United States, along with '' Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 under the name ''Music Vendor'', but in 1964 it was changed to ''Record W ...
'' Latin American LP Hit Parade. " Mi destino fue quererte" peaked at number 4 on ''Record World'' Latin American Single Hit Parade and became one of Flor Silvestre's
signature song A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. The writer of a ...
s. In December 1964, '' Cashbox'' ranked her among the top ten Mexican folk singers of the year. Her fifth Musart album, ''La acariciante voz de Flor Silvestre'', was released in 1965. One of the album's singles, "Una limosna", topped the ''Record World'' Latin American Single Hit Parade chart. The album also includes her hits " Gaviota traidora", "El mar y la esperanza", "Amor se escribe con llanto", and "Espumas". ''Celosa con Flor Silvestre y otros éxitos'' (1966), her sixth studio album for Musart Records, peaked at number 11 on ''
Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of the three main music industry trade magazines in the United States, along with '' Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 under the name ''Music Vendor'', but in 1964 it was changed to ''Record W ...
'' Latin American LP Hit Parade. The album's lead single, "Celosa", peaked at number 9 on '' Cashbox'' Mexico's Best Sellers and number 4 on ''Record World'' Latin American Single Hit Parade. "¿Por qué, Dios mío?", another single included in ''Celosa'', also charted well on ''Record World'' Latin American Single Hit Parade. In 1967, she released two albums, ''Boleros rancheros con la acariciante voz de Flor Silvestre'' and '' Flor Silvestre, vol. 6'', and made her last film of the decade, ''El as de oros''. In 1968, she released two albums, '' Flor Silvestre, vol. 7'' and '' Flor Silvestre, vol. 8''. ''Flor Silvestre, vol. 7'' includes "Reconciliación", one of her major hits from the late 1960s, as well as several other hits, including "Cenizas de amor", "Cariño malo", "Triunfamos", and "Tres días". ''Flor Silvestre, vol. 8'' features arrangements by famous guitarist Antonio Bribiesca and composer Gustavo A. Santiago and includes the hits "No vuelvo a amar" and "Tú, sólo tú".


1970–1989: Final films and multiple musical genres

In 1970, she released her album '' Amor, siempre amor'', accompanied by the Mariachi Guadalajara. The album features innovative mariachi, piano, harmonica, and steel (Hawaiian) guitar arrangements in its songs. Its first track, "La cruz de lo imposible", is songwriter Lupita Ramos' first work. This was Flor Silvestre and Ramos' first collaboration; Ramos went on to author several other songs for Flor Silvestre. Another notable track is "La mitad de mi orgullo", by José Alfredo Jiménez. In the early 1970s, she recorded her first
bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...
album, '' Y las canciones de sus tríos favoritos''. The album features cover versions of popular boleros from the 1950s, including "Un siglo de ausencia", "Condición", "El reloj", and "La barca". '' Cashbox'' included the album in its Latin Picks section and described it as "a masterpiece for lovers of Latin boleros". It was later rereleased as ''Sus canciones favoritas con... Flor Silvestre'' (LP reissue) and ''Mis boleros favoritos'' (CD reissue). In 1972, she released three albums: ''Una gran intérprete y dos grandes compositores'', a tribute to songwriters Cornelio Reyna and Ferrusquilla; ''La voz que acaricia'', which includes her hits "Solo con las estrellas" and "Hastío"; and '' Canciones con alma'', her second album of bolero songs. She sang two tracks from ''Una gran intérprete y dos grandes compositores'' in the two films she made that year; she sang "Tema eterno" in ''La yegua colorada'' and "No me lo tomes a mal" in ''
Valente Quintero Valente Quintero (1887 – March 19, 1922) was a Mexican sub-lieutenant who is remembered today for his duel against Martín Elenes on March 19, 1922. The event resulted in the death of both men, and was popularized in song as a corrido written ...
''. ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' included ''Canciones con alma'' in its Top Album Picks section and wrote, "A good solid LP overall of love ballads. Best cuts: 'Vuelve', 'Tormento', 'Quisiera'". In 1973, she played one of
Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa (, Orozco rebelled in March 1912, both for Madero's continuing failure to enact land reform and because he felt insufficiently rewarded for his role in bringing the new president to power. At the request of Madero's c ...
's lovers in ''La muerte de Pancho Villa'' and released her first norteño album, ''La onda norteña de Flor Silvestre''. The album's cover is a photograph of her as the character in the film. She also played Felipe Carrillo Puerto's wife, Isabel Palma, in the film ''Peregrina'' (released in 1974), in which she sang the Guty Cárdenas bolero "Quisiera". In 1974, she released her album ''Con todo mi amor a mi lindo Puerto Rico'', which is a tribute to two famous Puerto Rican songwriters, Rafael Hernández and Pedro Flores. For this album she recorded four Hernández songs, "Campanitas de cristal", "Inconsolable", "No me quieras tanto", and "Silencio", and three Flores songs, "Obsesión", "Amor", and "Esperanza inútil". The album also includes "Cruz de olvido", one of her hits, and "Vuelve pronto", a Spanish-language version of " Paper Roses". The album's release coincided with her appearance in the film ''Mi aventura en Puerto Rico'', in which she sang "Desvelo de amor" and "Obsesión". This same year she appeared on the film ''Peregrina''. She sang "La palma" in ''Simón Blanco'' (1975) and played the female leads in ''Don Herculano enamorado'' (1975), ''El moro de cumpas'' (1977), and ''Mi caballo el cantador'' (1979). In 1978, she released her album ''Ahora sí va en serio'', which includes several songs written by
Joan Sebastian José Manuel Figueroa Figueroa (April 8, 1951 – July 13, 2015), known professionally as Joan Sebastian (), was a Mexican singer-songwriter. He composed more than 1,000 songs, including compositions for artists such as Bronco, Vicente Fernánd ...
. The title track was included in the ''Cashbox'' Latin Singles to Watch list. Other Sebastian songs included in the album are "Levantado en armas", "Te regalo mi pena", and "Trono caído". In 1979, ''Cashbox'' included her single "Morir al lado de mi amor" in its Latin Singles to Watch list.


1989–2020: Banda albums and tributes

In 1989, she recorded
banda music Banda is a genre of Regional Mexican music and type of ensemble in which wind (mostly brass) and percussion instruments are performed. The history of banda music in Mexico dates from the middle of the 19th century with the arrival of piston br ...
for the first time. She told the press, "I was very afraid to record with a tambora; I thought it was too much sound, a lot of equipment, but when I recorded I loved it, I felt happy, and more because it was the band of Don Ramón López Alvarado. We recorded 'Los mirasoles', 'La rama', and 'Quiero que sepas'". She made her final film, ''Triste recuerdo'', in 1990. In 1991, she recorded her first
banda Banda may refer to: People * Banda (surname) * Banda Prakash (born 1954), Indian politician * Banda Kanakalingeshwara Rao (1907–1968), Indian actor * Banda Karthika Reddy (born 1977), Indian politician *Banda Singh Bahadur (1670–1716), Sikh ...
album, ''Flor Silvestre con tambora'', which includes a banda version of one of her bolero hits, "Caricia y herida". In 1994, she released her album ''Me regalo contigo'', which includes a song dedicated to her marriage with Aguilar, "Para siempre juntos", and a
vallenato Vallenato () or "Szlager" in Wayuu language (from the German "Schlager"), is a popular folk music genre from Colombia. It primarily comes from its Caribbean region. ''Vallenato'' literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing t ...
song, "Sólo para ti". In 2001, she released her second banda album, ''Flor Silvestre con tambora'', which includes new versions of her 1960s hits "Cariño santo", "Celosa", "Desolación", "Mi destino fue quererte", and "El mar y la esperanza". On 21 December 2010, she released her most recent album, ''Soledad: canto a mi amado y a su recuerdo'', which she dedicated to her late husband. The album features interesting songs she had never recorded before, such as "Soledad", "Y llegaste tú", "El andariego", "Luz de luna", "Amanecí en tus brazos", "Las ciudades", "Los ejes de mi carreta", and "Sombras". On 9 March 2015, her documentary ''Flor Silvestre: su destino fue querer'' premiered at
Zapopan Zapopan () is a city and municipality located in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, the population of Zapopan city proper makes it the second largest city in the state, very close behind the population of ...
's Plaza de las Américas as part of the Guadalajara International Film Festival. The 24-minute documentary features interviews with Flor Silvestre, who recounts her life and career; her five children, Dalia, Francisco, Marcela, Antonio, and Pepe; and singers
Angélica María Angélica María Hartman Ortiz (born September 27, 1944), known professionally as La novia de Mexico (Mexico's sweetheart), is an American-Mexican actress and singer-songwriter. Her songs El hombre de mi vida (The man of my life) peaked at No. ...
and Guadalupe Pineda. In 2016, she was featured on "Para morir iguales", a track of her son Antonio's most recent album, ''Caballo viejo''.


Personal life

Flor Silvestre married her first husband, Andrés Nieto, in the 1940s. She gave birth to her first child, singer and dancer Dalia Inés Nieto, when she was 16 years old. Around 1953, Flor Silvestre married radio announcer and bullfighting chronicler Francisco Rubiales Calvo "Paco Malgesto" (1914–1978), who would later become a famous presenter and pioneer of Mexican television. They had two children, translator Francisco Rubiales and singer and actress Marcela Rubiales. They lived in a house in Mexico City's Lindavista neighborhood. The couple separated and began divorce proceedings in 1958. Flor Silvestre's third and last husband was singer and actor
Antonio Aguilar José Pascual Antonio Aguilar Márquez Barraza (17 May 191919 June 2007) was a Mexican singer, actor, songwriter, equestrian, film producer, and screenwriter with a dominating career in music. He recorded over 150 albums, which sold 25 mill ...
, who died in 2007. He was the love of her life. They first met in 1950 when he was invited to sing on her program ''Increíble pero cierto'' at the Verde y Oro studio of radio station XEW in Mexico City. In 1955, they made their first film together, ''La huella del chacal'', but their relationship began when they made the film ''El rayo de Sinaloa'' in 1957. They married in 1959 (or 1960, according to some sources) and had two sons who also became singers and actors, Antonio "Toño" Aguilar and José "Pepe" Aguilar. Aguilar built her a spacious home and ranch, El Soyate, northeast of
Tayahua Tayahua is a small provincial town in the central Mexican state of Zacatecas. The town has less than 2,193 inhabitants. Tayahua is a municipality of the city Villanueva. It is located West of Villanueva and East of the City Tabasco. This town w ...
,
Zacatecas , image_map = Zacatecas in Mexico (location map scheme).svg , map_caption = State of Zacatecas within Mexico , coordinates = , coor_pinpoint = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type ...
. On 28 February 2012, Flor Silvestre underwent surgery to extirpate the
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
-stricken half of her right
lung The lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system in humans and most other animals, including some snails and a small number of fish. In mammals and most other vertebrates, two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of ...
. She responded well to the surgery.


Death

Flor Silvestre died on 25 November 2020, on her estate in "El Soyate" Villanueva, Zacatecas,
Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...
. She died of natural causes.


Awards and honors

Flor Silvestre received many awards and honors throughout her career. She has her handprints in the Plaza de las Estrellas (the Mexican equivalent of the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
). *In 1966,
Musart Records Discos Musart is a Mexican record label founded in 1948. It is headquartered in Mexico City and remains one of the country's biggest labels, focusing on Mexican music, as well as international releases licensed from various labels around the world. ...
awarded her The Golden Clover (known as ''Trébol de Oro'' in Spanish) for being one of the label's best-selling artists in 1965. *In 1970,
Musart Records Discos Musart is a Mexican record label founded in 1948. It is headquartered in Mexico City and remains one of the country's biggest labels, focusing on Mexican music, as well as international releases licensed from various labels around the world. ...
awarded her another Golden Clover for being one of the label's best-selling artists in 1969. *In 1972, she won the ''
Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of the three main music industry trade magazines in the United States, along with '' Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 under the name ''Music Vendor'', but in 1964 it was changed to ''Record W ...
'' Award for Best Mexican Actress-Singer. *In 2001, the National Association of Actors awarded her the Eduardo Arozamena Medal for her 50-year career. *In 2008, she was the grand marshal of the Comité Mexicano Cívico Patriótico's Mexican Independence Parade in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. *In 2010, the twenty-first edition of the World Mariachi Day (''Día Mundial del Mariachi'') awarded her the Pedro Infante Medal for her "outstanding work and dissemination of Mexican music". *In 2012, the Confederation of Livestock Organizations awarded her a "bull sculpture" for her contribution to Mexican culture. *In 2013, the Association of Mexican Cinema Journalists awarded her the Special Silver Goddess for her career. Mexican actor Ignacio López Tarso presented her with the award and said: "For me it is a great honor and personal satisfaction to give you this award, to a great figure of Mexican cinema who, either walking or on horseback, made the best movies of the Mexican film industry". *In 2014, the Government of the State of Zacatecas paid tribute to her career and gave her a special accolade at the Teatro Calderón in the state capital as part of the First Corrido Festival. *In 2015, while promoting the release of her documentary entitled ''Flor Silvestre: Su destino fue querer'', she was honored in
Lagos de Moreno Lagos de Moreno () is a city and municipality in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Lagos is located in the region of Los Altos de Jalisco, within the macroregion of the Bajío, one of the most highly developed areas in Latin America. Lagos de More ...
,
Jalisco Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal ...
;
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
; and
Aguascalientes Aguascalientes (; ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Aguascalientes ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Aguascalientes), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. At 22°N and with an average altitude of a ...
,
Aguascalientes Aguascalientes (; ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Aguascalientes ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Aguascalientes), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. At 22°N and with an average altitude of a ...
.


Discography

Flor Silvestre made her first recordings in 1950 for the Mexican
Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region i ...
label (Discos Columbia de México). In these recording sessions, she was backed up by the mariachis of Gilberto Parra and Rubén Fuentes. Ten of these recordings, which were originally released on 78 rpm singles, were included in the greatest hits album '' Flor Silvestre canta sus éxitos'', released in 1964 by Columbia's subsidiary label
Okeh Okeh Records () is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916, which branched out into phonograph records in 1918. The name was spelled "OkeH" from the initials of Ott ...
. This compilation album was later remastered and reissued in digital format by Sony Music Entertainment México in 2016. Flor Silvestre also recorded some songs for the RCA Víctor label in 1957. For this label, she recorded a single containing her first version of "Cielo rojo" on side A and "Qué padre es la vida" on side B. In 1957, Flor Silvestre signed a contract with the
Musart Discos Musart is a Mexican record label founded in 1948. It is headquartered in Mexico City and remains one of the country's biggest labels, focusing on Mexican music, as well as international releases licensed from various labels around the world. ...
label. Among her first recordings for Musart are the songs "Nuestro gran amor" and "Pajarillo de la sierra", included in the soundtrack album of the ''Heraclio Bernal'' films, and "Te he de querer", "La chancla", and "La Valentina", included in the soundtrack album for the film ''La cucaracha''. In 1958, she released her first studio album for Musart, ''Flor Silvestre''. Musart has more than 300 of Flor Silvestre's recordings, many of them available in digital format since 2008.


Singles

Her hit singles include:


Studio albums


Extended plays

* ''Para morir iguales'' * ''Desolación'' * ''Volver a verte'' * ''Mi destino fue quererte'' * ''Aquel amor'' * ''Vámonos'' * ''Celosa'' * ''Una limosna'' * ''Miel amarga'' * ''Perdámonos''


Compilation albums

* '' Flor Silvestre canta sus éxitos'' (1964) * ''Los éxitos de Flor Silvestre'' (1972) * '' El disco de oro de Flor Silvestre'' (1977) * '' 15 éxitos'' (1984) * '' 15 éxitos, vol. 2'' (1989) * ''15 grandes éxitos'' (1998) * ''Colección de oro: Flor Silvestre con mariachi'' (2003) * ''Mexicanísimo: Flor Silvestre'' (2015) * ''Serie del recuerdo 2 en 1: Flor Silvestre'' (2016) * ''Mi México querido'' (2020)


Selected filmography

Flor Silvestre appeared in more than seventy films, almost always as the star and sometimes as a supporting actress or musical guest. Her film career spanned several genres, including ''ranchera'' comedy, rural drama, Mexican western, horror film, urban comedy, and Mexican Revolution drama. She starred in the following Mexican classics: * '' Primero soy mexicano'' (1950) * ''El tigre enmascarado'' (1951) * ''El lobo solitario'' (1952) * ''La justicia del lobo'' (1952) * ''Vuelve el lobo'' (1952) * ''La huella del chacal'' (1956) * ''Rapto al sol'' (1956) * ''
El bolero de Raquel ''El bolero de Raquel'' (aka ''Raquel's Shoeshiner'') is a 1957 Mexican comedy film directed by Miguel M. Delgado and starring Cantinflas, Manola Saavedra, Flor Silvestre, and child actor Paquito Fernández. The film's art direction was by Gunth ...
'' (1957) * ''El jinete sin cabeza'' (1957) * ''La justicia del gavilán vengador'' (1957) * ''La cabeza de Pancho Villa'' (1957) * ''Los muertos no hablan'' (1958) * ''¡Paso a la juventud..!'' (1958) * ''Mi mujer necesita marido'' (1959) * ''Kermesse'' (1959) * ''Tan bueno el giro como el colorado'' (1959) * ''Pueblo en armas'' (1959) * ''El hombre del alazán'' (1959) * '' La Cucaracha'' (1959) * ''Escuela de verano'' (1959) * ''¡Quietos todos!'' (1959) * ''El gran pillo'' (1960) * '' Dos locos en escena'' (1960) * ''Las hermanas Karambazo'' (1960) * ''Poker de reinas'' (1960) * ''Las tres coquetonas'' (1960) * ''Vivo o muerto'' (1960) * '' De tal palo tal astilla'' (1960) * '' Los fanfarrones'' (1960) * ''¡Viva la soldadera!'' (1960) * ''Luciano Romero'' (1960) * ''Juan sin miedo'' (1961) * '' Ánimas Trujano'' (1962) * ''La venganza de la sombra'' (1962) * ''La trampa mortal'' (1962) * ''Aquí está tu enamorado'' (1963) * '' Tres muchachas de Jalisco'' (1964) * '' El revólver sangriento'' (1964) * '' Escuela para solteras'' (1965) * '' El rifle implacable'' (1965) * ''
Alma llanera "Alma Llanera" ("Soul of the Plains") is a Venezuelan song, a joropo, created by Venezuelan musicians Pedro Elías Gutiérrez (composer) and Rafael Bolívar Coronado (lyricist). It was originally part of a zarzuela whose premiere was on September ...
'' (1965) * ''El tragabalas'' (1966) * ''El alazán y el rosillo'' (1966) * ''
Caballo prieto azabache ''Caballo prieto azabache (La tumba de Villa)'' is a 1968 Mexican List of historical drama films, historical drama film starring Antonio Aguilar Barraza, Antonio Aguilar, Flor Silvestre (actress), Flor Silvestre, and Jaime Fernández (actor), Jaime ...
'' (1968) * ''
El as de oros EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American ...
'' (1968) * ''
Lauro Puñales ''Lauro Puñales'' (English: ''Lauro Daggers'') is a 1969 historical drama film directed by René Cardona, and starring Antonio Aguilar, Flor Silvestre, and Jaime Fernández. Plot In Emiliano Zapata's hometown of Anenecuilco lives Lauro Puñales, ...
'' (1969) * '' El ojo de vidrio'' (1969) * '' Vuelve el ojo de vidrio'' (1970)


References


External links

* * * *
Entries at 45cat.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silvestre, Flor 1930 births 2020 deaths 20th-century Mexican actresses 21st-century Mexican actresses 20th-century Mexican women singers Actresses from Guanajuato Bolero singers Columbia Records artists Golden Age of Mexican cinema Mexican film actresses Mexican stage actresses Mexican television actresses Mexican female equestrians Musart Records artists People from Salamanca, Guanajuato Ranchera singers RCA Victor artists Singers from Guanajuato Western (genre) film actresses 21st-century Mexican women singers Women in Latin music