1955

As one of the most expressive guitarists in Brazil, Garoto’s influence can be noticed to this today, 35 years after his death. Born in São Paulo to Portuguese immigrants, he started working with sales at age 11. At that time he began playing the banjo. He was hired to perform on the radio and managed to record a single. Then, he participated in a number of instrumental bands and orchestras, playing the banjo, cavaquinho and mandolin. By the mid-30s, he switched his stage name from "Moleque do Banjo" (The Banjo Imp) to "Garoto" (Kid). He performed at casinos in São Paulo and in the south of Brazil and Argentina, where he backed up Carlos Gardel. By that time, he managed to record the songs he had been writing, playing acoustic guitars and Hawaiian guitars. Around 1939, he moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he joined guitarist Laurindo de Almeida and the both performed together. Then, he joined the group Bando da Lua, who backed up Carmem Miranda, touring the U.S. and being acclaimed as the "The Man With Golden Fingers". Back in Brazil in the 40s, he was hired by a radio station. He also recorded with pianist Carolina Cardoso de Meneses and wrote many pieces that made it into the fundamental Brazilian guitar repertoire. His rich harmonies, like on "Duas Contas", credit him as a bossa nova predecessor. While alive, his greatest hit was "São Paulo Quatrocentão", written with Chiquinho do Acordeom, which sold 700 thousand copies. After passing away, new partners wrote lyrics for his music, such as Chico Buarque and Vinicius de Moraes, who made the lyrics for "Gente Humilde".