Jair Rodrigues

Jair Rodrigues de Oliveira (February 6, 1939), or simply Jair Rodrigues, is a Brazilian singer and one of the most celebrated samba interpreters of all time. Born in Igarapava and raised in the small city of Nova Europa, São Paulo, he moved to São Carlos with his family in 1954 and gave his first live performances at local nightclubs. After making the rounds in several TV talent shows, Jair Rodrigues kicked off a successful recording career in 1964 with the LPs Vou de Samba com Você and O Samba Como Ele É. During that time, he struck a creative partnership with singer Elis Regina, with whom he released a trilogy of Bossa Nova albums that went on to become classics of the genre. In 1966, his rendition of Geraldo Vandré's "Disparada" won the Festival of Brazilian Popular Music, sharing first place with Chico Buarque's "A Banda." In the following years, Jair Rodrigues' embarked on a prolific streak, releasing an album per year and penning hits like "O Menino da Porteira," "Boi da Cara Preta," and "Majestade o Sabiá." Even though his output waned in subsequent decades, the legendary crooner continued to record and perform up until his death on March 8, 2014.