Salvador Flores Rivera facts for kids

Salvador Flores Rivera (born January 14, 1920 – died August 5, 1987), known to many as Chava Flores, was a famous Mexican composer and singer. He was well-known for his popular and folk music. His songs often told stories about the everyday lives of people living in Mexico City.

Who Was Chava Flores?

Chava Flores was born in the old La Merced neighborhood in the historical center of Mexico City. He grew up in different parts of the city, like Tacuba, Colonia Roma, and Santa Maria la Ribera. He also lived in Azcapotzalco and Unidad Cuitláhuac until 1933. That year, he moved to Morelia, Michoacán. When his father passed away in 1933, Chava started working to help his family.

Early Life and Many Jobs

Chava Flores had many different jobs when he was young. He worked as a tailor, a manager in a warehouse, and even a door-to-door salesman. He also managed a hardware store and owned a shirt and sausage shop. Later, he worked as a printer. All these jobs made him travel all over Mexico City. He visited many neighborhoods and streets, seeing different situations. This experience was very helpful when he became a composer. He used what he saw and heard in his songs. Because of this, he was called the Cronista Cantor de la Ciudad de México, which means "Mexico City's singing storyteller."

Becoming a Singing Storyteller

In 1946, Chava had to close his shirt store. He then started working at a printing press with friends from the hardware store. The printing business grew, and in 1949, they started publishing a magazine called El Álbum de Oro de la Canción (The Golden Album of Songs).

His First Hit Songs

Chava Flores started his music career with a song called "Dos Horas de Balazos." He also wrote "La tertulia." Both songs were recorded by RCA Victor in 1952. He performed in different places, like tents and cabarets, and became famous across Mexico. His music also became popular in Latin America and the United States. By 1976, he had recorded seven full music albums. He even owned his own music label called Ageleste.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1983, Chava Flores moved to Morelia, Michoacán. There, he had his own television show. The next year, he had to return to Mexico City due to health issues. He passed away a few days later, on August 5, 1987.

On January 14, 2017, Google honored his 97th birthday with a special Google Doodle. This showed how important he was.

Famous Songs by Chava Flores

Chava Flores's songs used everyday language. They often had clever wordplays and hidden meanings. Here are some of his well-known songs:

Who Sang His Songs?

Many other famous singers and groups performed Chava Flores's songs. Here are some of them:

Chava Flores in Movies

Chava Flores also worked in movies, both as an actor and a composer.

As an Actor

• La esquina de mi barrio, 1957, directed by Fernando Méndez
• Mi influyente mujer, 1957, directed by Rogelio A. González
• Bajo el cielo de México, 1958, directed by Rafael Baledón
• El correo del norte, 1960, directed by Zacarías Gómez Urquiza
• Rebelde sin casa, 1960, directed by Benito Alazraki
• La máscara de la muerte, 1961, directed by Zacarías Gómez Urquiza
• 4 hembras y un macho menos, 1979, directed by Del Tal Gomezbeck
• ¿A qué le tiras cuando sueñas... mexicano?, 1979, directed by Arturo Martínez

As a Composer

• Mujer, así es la vida, 1980, directed by Armando Lazo (He wrote the music with Amparo Ochoa)
• 4 hembras y un macho menos, 1979, directed by Del Tal Gomezbeck (He wrote the songs "Sábado, Distrito Federal" and "El retrato de Manuela")

See also

In Spanish: Salvador Flores Rivera para niños