Carlos do Carmo
Carlos do Carmo, ComIH (born Carlos Manuel de Ascenção de Almeida in Lisbon, Mouraria, on 21 December 1939) is a Portuguese fado singer, one of the finest in the "Lisbon Song". He is the son of another fado singer and fado house owner, Lucília do Carmo (Lucília Nunes de Ascenção do Carmo, born in Portalegre on 4 November 1920 and died in 1999, daughter of Francisco).
In 1976 he won the Portuguese Song Contest, with "Uma flor de verde pinho". The song finished 12th in the Eurovision Song Contest 1976.
His most famous songs are Lágrimas de Orvalho, Lisboa Menina e Moça and Canoas do Tejo. He sang many songs written by songwriters like Ary dos Santos. He helped to open Lisbon fado to other musical influences, like jazz and French music.
He has established his own reputation as a passionate singer of Portuguese folk songs, as well as one of the most distinctive voices in the world. Unfortunately obscured by the international fame of Amália Rodrigues, he remained a national, rather than international, star. He first left Lisbon in his youth, to study hotel management in Switzerland but, with the death of his father Alfredo de Almeida in 1962, do Carmo soon joined his mother to help her run their fado house, the Faia. In 1964 he married Maria Judite de Sousa Leal. Encouraged by his friends' response to his singing, do Carmo soon began to perform at the fado house. While fado remains at the core of his music, do Carmo has used Frank Sinatra-style and French-style pop balladry and Brazilian bossa nova to give his music its distinct flavor. His uniqueness, apart from the special timbre of his voice, is in his ability to bring composers from other styles such as jazz. This is mainly seen in his success Um Homem na Cidade, which although now known as a fado classic, has an obvious jazz chord progression.
His main successes came in the 70s, as he was one of the most prominent singers commemorating freedom during the Lisbon uprising of 1974, along with Fernando Tordo and Paulo de Carvalho amongst others. In the 80s, his remarkable Um Homem no País was the first CD ever recorded in Portugal. He has worked closely and nurtured the development of other fado singers such as Mariza and Camané. Carlos is currently working towards making Fado part of UNESCO's World Heritage Cultural Patrimony via countless concerts and the recording for Carlos Saura's film on fado, which premiered in 2007 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Performances in the Royal Albert Hall, Paris Olympia, Carnegie Hall and Salle Pleyel are just part of his vast gig curriculum. His great classics include Bairro Alto, Gaivota, Canoas Do Tejo, Os Putos and Estrela Da Tarde.
He was created a Commander of the Order of Prince Henry.
His children are singer Cila do Carmo de Almeida (born Lisbon), Alfredo do Carmo de Almeida and (not fado) singer Gil do Carmo de Almeida (born Lisbon, 21 June 1973).
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| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Duarte Mendes with "Madrugada" |
Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest 1976 |
Succeeded by Os Amigos with "Portugal no coração" |
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