Jamelão

José Bispo Clementino dos Santos, known professionally as Jamelão, was a Brazilian samba singer born on May 12, 1913, in Rio de Janeiro. He began performing in gafieiras and worked as a cavaquinho player in radio and nightclubs. Jamelão served as the lead singer of samba-enredos for the Mangueira samba school between 1949 and 2006, becoming the principal voice in 1952. His discography included the studio albums A voz do samba (1997), Por força do hábito (2000), and Cada vez melhor (2003). In January 2001, he received the Ordem do Mérito Cultural from President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Santos died on June 14, 2008, in Rio de Janeiro. During the 2022 Carnival, his memory was honored alongside Cartola and Mestre Delegado as part of the Mangueira parade.