1986

Born in Rio de Janeiro, he adopted the nickname Nelson Cavaquinho very early, when he used to play the instrument (cavaquinho, a tiny, 4-string acoustic guitar) in samba meetings promoted by his fellow factory workers. Alleging that the cavaquinho was too small, he traded it for the standard acoustic guitar. By the 30s, he approached samba musicians from Mangueira, like Cartola, Carlos Cahaça and Zé da Zilda, to whom he started showing his simple and fundamental sambas. By that time, he would sell his compositions for little money. Nelson started to enjoy some success as a songwriter in the 40s, when Cyro Monteiro recorded some of his songs. By the mid-50s he met Guilherme de Brito, who became his partner in tunes like "A Flor e o Espinho" (also with Alcides Caminha), "Folhas Secas", Quando Eu Me Chamar Saudade" and "Pranto de Poeta". Nelson was one of the features at the bar Zicartola, kept by legendary composer Cartola and his wife Zica, and there, in the 60s, he was discovered by a more intellectualized audience. In the same decade, he had songs recorded by (bossa nova's first muse) Elizeth Cardoso, and in 1966, CBS put out a whole LP with his songs interpreted by singer Telma Costa. With his husky voice, he made other albums, singing classic songs written by him with different partners, like "O Bem e o Mal" (with G. de Brito), "Juízo Final" (with Elcio Soares), "Pode Sorrir" (with G. de Brito), "Eu e as Flores" (with Jair do Cavaquinho), "Rugas" (with Ary Monteiro/ Garcez), "Rei Vadio" (with Joaquim), "Vou Partir" (with Jair Costa), "Minha Festa" (with G. de Brito), "Degraus da Vida" (with Cesar Brasil/ Antônio Braga), "Luto" (with Sebastião Neves/ G. de Brito), "Notícia" (with Alcides Bahia/ Alcides Caminha), "Palhaço" (with Oswaldo Martins/ Washington). Nelson was established as one of the greatest samba musicians in Brazil; his songs have been recorded by various artists, from Chico Buarque and Paulinho da Viola to Arnaldo Antunes, who reviewed "Juízo Final" in the album "O Silêncio".