Roberto Silva

Roberto Silva, alongside Ciro Monteiro, helped shape the richly syncopated melodic style of samba singing that Luís Reis and Vassourinha had introduced. Among his most successful recordings were “Maria Tereza” (Altamiro Carrilho), “Normélia,” “Mandei Fazer um Patuá” (both by Raimundo Olavo/Norberto Martins), “Perdi Você” (Raimundo Olavo/Silva Júnior), “Juraci me Deixou” (Raimundo Olavo/Oldemar Magalhães), “Escurinho” (Geraldo Pereira), “Crioulo Sambista” (Nelson Trigueiro/Sinval Silva), and “O Baile Começa às Nove” (Haroldo Lobo/Milton de Oliveira). He delivered the very first recorded samba-enredo, “Exaltação a Tiradentes” (Mano Décio da Viola/Stanislau Silva). Over the course of his career he committed roughly six hundred songs to 78 rpm discs, singles, and LPs. Beginning in the late 1930s, he appeared regularly on radio programs presented by Celso Guimarães, Renato Murce, Henrique Batista, Barbosa Jr., and, most prominently, Ary Barroso. His professional debut occurred in 1938 on Rádio Guanabara’s Canta Mocidade, a program on which he remained until 1940. Following a successful 1943 audition at Rádio Mauá—where he performed “Risoleta” (Raul Marques/Moacyr Bernardino) and the waltz “Neusa” (Antônio Caldas/Celso Figueiredo)—he joined the station and stayed through 1946, taking part in numerous broadcasts. That same year he cut his first 78 rpm, pairing “Ele é Esquisito” (Walter Rodrigues) with “O Errado Sou Eu” (Djalma Mafra). Also in 1943 he joined the staff of Rádio Nacional; later in the decade he entered the roster of Rádio Tupi, which bestowed on him the title O Príncipe do Samba. Already established, he signed with the Star label (soon renamed Copacabana) and scored his first major success in 1947 with “Maria Tereza,” quickly followed by “Normélia,” “Mandei Fazer um Patuá,” and “Perdi Você.” Subsequent hits came from songs by Wilson Batista, Geraldo Pereira, Cartola, Ary Barroso, Lupicínio Rodrigues, Mário Lago, Nelson Cavaquinho, Ataulfo Alves, Benedito Lacerda, Haroldo Lobo, and others. His screen work included the 1949 film Eu Quero é Movimento, directed by Luís de Barros. In 1956 he released the inaugural volume of the popular Descendo o Morro LP series. After departing Rádio Nacional in 1964, he moved to Rádio Mayrink Veiga, where he hosted his own program; in 1970 he was engaged by TV Excelsior. In 2000 he contributed to Cristina Buarque’s album Ganha-se Pouco Mas É Divertido, a tribute to Wilson Batista’s songs, and joined Paulinho da Viola and Chico Buarque for the launch concert at Rio de Janeiro’s João Caetano theater.