Riachão, born Clementino Rodrigues in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, in 1921, was a Brazilian samba singer and composer who lived until 2020. He began performing at age nine at serenades with friends, using water-filled cans to play samba rhythms. At age twelve, he wrote his first untitled samba. Riachão achieved national prominence in the 1940s and 1950s as a radio performer and singer. His compositions were recorded by numerous prominent Brazilian artists, including Jackson do Pandeiro, who recorded “Meu Patrão”, “Saia”, and “Judas Traidor”; Cássia Eller, who recorded “Vá Morar com o Diabo”; and Caetano Veloso, who recorded his hit song “Cada Macaco no seu Galho”. Riachão also made appearances as an actor in the films A Grande Feira in 1961 and Os Pastores da Noite in 1975, and he was the subject of the 2001 biographical documentary film Samba Riachão. His discography included the collaborative album Samba da Bahia in 1973 or 1975 with Batatinha and Panela, followed by the albums Sonho de Malandro in 1973 or 1981, Humanenochum in 2000, Riachão in 2001, and Mundão de Ouro in 2013.
