Edvaldo Silva

Edvaldo Silva came up in Bahia, Brazil, singing in local churches before forming a band with guitarist Roney Barbosa and percussionist Gilson Costa in 1995. They called themselves Banda Edvaldo Silva. Their 1999 album 'Eu Sou Forró' included the track 'Eu Vou Avançar,' which became widely popular at parties and celebrations across the country.

That song, along with another like 'Espera Em Deus,' carried straightforward, encouraging lyrics over an infectious forró rhythm. The band put out several more albums through the 2000s, including 'O Rei da Vanera' and 'Nordestino Tenente.'

In 2002, Silva was in a serious car accident but recovered and returned to performing. A few years later, the band faced a copyright lawsuit over a melody in one of their hits, though they came through it without major damage to their standing. The music kept a steady following, built on that core sound from the late '90s.