1998

Born on the northern side of Rio de Janeiro, he was always surrounded by music, because his father owned a music shop and was an amateur songwriter. Silvio debuted as a singer at age 5. At 16, he went to work in São Paulo as a mechanic. He returned to Rio three years later, eventually performing on the radio. His first recording was made in 1930. Along Orlando Silva, Francisco Alves and Carlos Galhardo, Silvio was one of the most successful artists during the so-called Golden Era of MPB. His first hit, "Faceira", was written by Ary Barroso. Caldas started writing music with Orestes Barbosa in 1934. In 1937, he released two of his greatest hits: "Chão de Estrelas" (with Orestes Barbosa) and "Meu Limão, Meu Limoeiro". "Minha Palhoça" (J. Cascata), "Um Caboclo Abandonado" (B. Lacerda/ H. Martins), "Arranha-céu" (c/ O. Barbosa), "Da Cor do Pecado" (Bororó), "Mulher" (C. Mesquita/ S. Cabral), "Serenata" (outra parceria com Orestes), "Chuva Miúda" (com Frazão), "Foi Ela" (Ary Barroso), "Até Amanhã" (Noel Rosa), "Jangada" (Hervê Cordovil/ Vicente Leporace) and "A Jardineira" (Benedito Lacerda/ Humberto Porto) are other hits. By the late '60s, Silvio Caldas retired from the public eye, going to live in a ranch in the countryside of São Paulo. He participated in the CD "Songbook Ary Barroso" in 1995, singing "Quando Eu Penso na Bahia" with Aurora Miranda.