is father, Martín Valentín Cabral, was a singer and guitar strummer who, with the stage name Cruz Lucero, used to travel across the geography of our country; furthermore, he had composed some of the songs of his repertoire. Walter was a young kid when he accompanied his father on the nearer tours and even had short appearances as newsboy with a cap and newspapers under his arm, singing a children's song.

At age nine, now more formally but always accompanying his father, he sang in towns and cities of the interior. Then the important moment came: someone had spread the news and so Anselmo Aieta was interested in him, and presented him with his orchestra on the bandstand at the Café Nacional on 974 Corrientes Street. And he himself used to recall that when the set was over and there was a break for a rest, he stayed onstage during the intermission to sing three songs backed by his father’s guitar.

He also appeared at the Munich on Costanera Sur and, the following year, with an occasional orchestra at the Fritz & Franz, on Paraná Street in the 300 block.

In 1935, when Juan D'Arienzo included him in his new orchestra, he had already left behind the Electra label and the refrain singers Carlos Dante and Francisco Fiorentino. The young leader had been unable to cut recordings for several years. That year and, for the Victor label, they recorded twelve instrumentals. When he was only nineteen years old he recorded “Silueta porteña” on January 14, 1936; on April 3, the waltz “Un placer”; on May 8, “Tu olvido”; on July 9, “Irene”. Here his performance on record ended.

Because of D’Arienzo’s schedule he sang on Radio El Mundo and at the cabaret Chantecler. In September 1937 he left the orchestra. Soon afterward he teamed up with his elder sister as the Fedora Cabral-Walter Cabral duo. They appeared on Radio Argentina and Radio Prieto and some night venues, but she had an accident with her car and the duo had to split.

He was again summoned by Anselmo Aieta to appear at the cabaret Bambú, on 780 Corrientes Street. He recalls having sung in his repertoire: “Palomita blanca”, “Siga el corso”, “Tus besos fueron míos”, “El huérfano” and some others.

The owner of the El Nacional offered him singing work with a new orchestra, Recio-Ponchi. Walter accepted and appeared at the same time with both orchestras. And on radio, too, on LS8 Radio Stentor and on LS11 Radio Provincia.
Furthermore, accompanied by Héctor Varela and Emilio Camerano, he appeared as soloist on Radio Argentina and on Radio Prieto. That year held a busy schedule for him: we can hear an excerpt of his voice singing a tango in the movie El forastero, directed by Antonio Ber Ciani, which premiered on November 3, and starred Amelia Bence, Irma Córdoba, Pepita Muñoz and others.

The following years he appeared at different venues, made a tour of Uruguay and another of Patagonia as member of a company led by his sister Fedora. For the carnival balls of 1940, he traveled to Santiago del Estero as member of the Florindo Sassone orchestra.

Pedro Vergez, who was pianist in the Juan Guido orchestra and played in nearly all its recordings, summoned him to sing in his own orchestra. They appeared at the cabaret Casanova (where before was the Maipú Pigall, 318 Maipú Street). In 1941 they switched to the Tabarís (829 Corrientes Street) and also appeared at the Marabú (365 Maipú Street), at the Novelty (473 Esmeralda Street). In 1942, at the La Armonía tearoom (1443 Corrientes Street).

The following year he appeared in cities of Brazil, a tour that lasted several months. On his return, Alfredo Gobbi summoned him to appear at the Sans souci (Corrientes 955). He enjoyed success with the tangos “Percal”, “La luz de un fósforo”, “Ya sale el tren”. His tenure with that orchestra was until the late 1944, when Pablo Lozano was already his singing partner.

Thereafter and until 1947 he made a new tour of southern cities and, on his return to the Capital, he sang at the night club La Chumiere (Tres Sargentos in the 400 block) backed by the Ciriaco Ortiz trio. With some occasional interruption, he continued there until 1947, when he decided to quit his show business career when he was only thirty years old.

Walter passed away in 1993.