Bebu Silvetti

b. 27 March 1944, near Buenos Aires, Argentina, d. 5 July 2003, Miami, Florida, USA. Silvetti studied piano as a small child and later played in both jazz and pop groups. In his early twenties, he lived and worked for a while in Spain and Mexico, which is where he began to attract attention for his arrangements and orchestrations and also for his compositions. One of his earliest recordings was of ‘Spring Rain’ and this became a huge hit when it was released in 1976. It was especially favoured by disco audiences in Europe and Latin America. Others covered the title, but Silvetti had set a very high standard; indeed, it was one that he himself was unable to reach again. Although Silvetti continued to make records from time to time, it was as an arranger for other artists and as a record producer that he made his mark. Among artists with whom he worked in these capacities were bandleader Larry Elgart in the late 80s, and through the 90s with several singers, including Paul Anka, ‘Amigos’, Vikki Carr, writing the arrangement for her recording of ‘Set Me Free’, Eydie Gorme, ‘Eso Es El Amor’, Engelbert Humperdinck, ‘Quiereme Mucho’ and ‘Love Unchained’, Rocío Jurado, ‘Como Las Alas Al Viento’, Paloma San Basilio, ‘Simplemente Lo Mejor’, as well as Roberto Carlos, Vic Damone, Ricardo Mantaner, Armando Manzanero, Milton Nascimento, Daniela Romo and Marco Antonio Solís. He also worked with classical artists, including Daniel Barenboim and Placido Domingo; with the latter he worked on ‘De Mi Alma Latina’ and on the tenor’s Celebration In Vienna with Dionne Warwick.