Chelo Silva

Born in Brownsville, TX, Chelo Silva emerged in the late '30s as one of the pioneers in the traditional Mexican music scene in the U.S. After moving to Corpus Christi, the newcomer was named La Reina del Bolero (Bolero's Queen) for her romantic, sentimental, and highly emotive performances. Decades before Selena became the most popular Tex-Mex artist, Chelo Silva achieved the title of Queen of Tejano, popularized in the area near the U.S./Mexican border during the mid-'50s. ~ Drago Bonacich