Javier Solis, Part One

Now that we are getting to Cinco de Mayo, a little review of

one of the great singers in Mexican history.

Javier Solís was born Gabriel Siria Levario in 1931 His mother Juana, who was half Korean, had a stall at a public market and as her spouse had allegedly abandoned her, she had little time save for work. After dropping out of school he worked many different labor jobs. In his spare time, he trained as an amateur boxer, with aspirations of going professional, but after suffering a few defeats, he was urged to work at something "more decent".

He was singing at the Teatro Lirico in Mexico City when he met dancer Blanca Estela Saenz, who would later become his wife. His first hit, Lloraras, came two years later, and it was his then-producer Felipe Valdes Leal who gave Solis his stage name, Javier Solís.

"Lloraras" por Javier Solis

Solís began to receive international acclaim in 1957, when he began appearing in the U.S. and Central and South America. He was among the first artists to sing in the style now known as Bolero-Ranchera based on the Rumba. He sang boleros typically associated with trio music, but which now were accompanied by mariachis.

"Vereda Tropical" por Javier Solis

Dancing bans are legal or religious prohibitions against dancing, which have been applied at various times in various jurisdictions around the world. Most restrictions in the US are in the Southern republican states. In South Carolina, led by Lindsey Graham, republican, dance halls are not permitted to operate at all on Sundays

"Social dancers are well aware that it is just as easy to give good advice to yourself

as well as to others - and quite as useless."

Part Two is in Dancing Nights blog