Sylvia Telles

Far more than Astrud Gilberto, the late Sylvia Telles was the foremost female bossa nova singer in Brazil up unto her untimely death in a car accident in 1966 at the age of 32. Her 1959 release, AMOR DE GENTE MOCA, an album of songs all composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim, was the first to be made up of bossa nova songs exclusively. She also recorded many duets with the popular singer Dick Farney which did much to popularize the new music as well. At the time of her death, Telles was making inroads in the North American market and was about to embark on an American tour.