Biography
Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento (1912 – 1989) was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, musician and poet, one of the most important figures of Brazilian popular music in the twentieth century.Born on December 13, 1912, in Exu, State of Pernambuco, his father was a farmer and amateur musician; Gonzaga was attracted to the accordion at a very young age and accompanied his father to parties and religious celebrations. He later went on to do his military service, where he learned to play the cornet. Leaving the army he decided to stay in Rio de Janeiro and started performing in the streets and bars. He took part in a talent show and won first place, since then he became a frequent guest on radio shows and also he started making records.
In 1943, he dressed in typical northeastern Brazilian uniforms for the first time and appeared on television, winning public acclaim. Later, as he played popular tunes on the accordion, he began singing his own material and his skills as a songwriter were revealed. His biggest hit, "Asa Branca" (written with Humberto Teixeira), was recorded in 1947 and covered countless times by many artists. He worked in radio until 1954, enjoying enormous popularity.
During the 1960s, as public taste shifted to bossa nova, he found himself increasingly isolated from big-city scenes, so he toured the countryside, where his popularity did not wane. In the 1970s and 1980s, he slowly re-emerged in the spotlight, partly due to covers of his songs by new artists.
He died on August 2, 1989.