Reginaldo Rossi

One of the most renowned performers of Brega, a subgenre of Brazilian popular music characterized by its romantic themes and kitschy theatricality, iconic singer-songwriter Reginaldo Rossi was born Reginaldo Rodrigues dos Santos on February 14, 1943, in the city of Recife. After studying civil engineering for a few years, he began performing with the rock band The Silver Jets in 1964 and later joined the Jovem Guarda movement opening for crooner Roberto Carlos. The style of the group, a radio-friendly distillation of 1950s American rock and roll and the 1960s British Invasion, greatly shaped the sound of his first three albums—O Pão (1966), Festa dos Pães (1968), and O Quente (1968). During the 1970s, Reginaldo Rossi grew disenchanted with his rock and roll persona and re-emerged as a Brega crooner with the hit "Meu Amor, Meu Bem, Ma Femme" from 1972's Nos Teus Braços, as well as a trilogy of successful LPs for the CBS label. Released in 1980, A Volta became his first gold-selling album thanks to the singles "Volta," "Amor, Amor, Amor," and "Recife." His winning streak continued for the remainder of the decade with albums like A Raposa e as Uvas (1982) and Teu Melhor Amigo (1987), which catapulted him into national stardom through the hit single "Garçom." Even though his output waned during the first half of the 1990s, a sudden surge in popularity, especially in Southern Brazil, led to the reissue of his back catalog and prompted the artist to release a series of live albums that revisited the highest points of his decades-spanning career. On December 20, 2013, "The King of Brega" passed away at the age of 70 due to complications of lung cancer.