Beth Carvalho

In thisPortuguese name,the first or maternalfamily nameisSantos Lealand the second or paternal family name isde Carvalho.

Elizabeth"Beth"Santos Leal de Carvalho(May 5, 1946 – April 30, 2019) was a Braziliansambasinger,guitarist,cavaquinistand composer.

Beth Carvalho
Carvalho in 2011
Background information
Birth name	Elizabeth Santos Leal de Carvalho
Born	(1946-05-05)May 5, 1946 Rio de Janeiro,Brazil
Died	April 30, 2019(2019-04-30)(aged 72) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Genres	Samba
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1960–2019
Labels	BMG
Website	http:// bethcarvalho.br

Biography

Carvalho was raised in a middle-class family inRio de Janeiro'sSouth Zone.Her father, João Francisco Leal de Carvalho, was a lawyer. She grew up influenced by different types of music. Her father used to take her to samba school rehearsals, and her mother was a lover of classical music who encouraged her to become a ballerina. She started playing the guitar as a teenager, and got involved with the emergingBossa Novamovement, winning a nationwide song contest on TV at the age of 19.

Following a 1967 album, "Muito Na Onda," with the project 'Conjunto 3D,' Carvalho did her first solo record, 1968's "Andança", and carried the song of the same name to victory in a larger festival, which brought her to prominence. Although she started her career with Bossa Nova, that was an ephemeral phase which lasted less than one year. Beth started dedicating herself entirely tosambajust as her fame began, working with legendary composers such as Nelson Sargento.

Carvalho is a very important artist in the history of samba, as she celebrated and brought the spotlight to the work of legendary composers such asCartola,Nelson Cavaquinho&Guilherme de Britowhen they weren't receiving the attention they deserved. Almost all of her records have songs by these composers, among other legendarysambistassuch as Nelson Sargento and theOld Guard of Portela.Her samba school wasMangueira,but that didn't stop her from recording dozens of songs from composers ofPortela,the other great traditional samba school in Rio.

Beth Carvalho in Tupi TV, 1960s.National Archives of Brazil.

Later, in the late 1970s and early 80s, Beth helped bring to the public the work of other risingpagodeartists from Cacique de Ramos, such asAlmir Guineto,Jorge Aragãoand theFundo de Quintalgroup. Then, in 1983, she introducedZeca Pagodinhowho would become the major samba name of the 90s. Carvalho always tried to bring underrated composers the recognition they deserve, and she is regarded asmadrinha do samba(the godmother of samba). She was a driving force in the modernization of samba in the 80s, and at the same time rejected commercial pop trends in samba arrangements, preserving tradition.

In the 1990s, Beth's popularity wasn't the strongest, but she was always popular. She recorded an album dedicated to the samba fromSão Paulo,rejecting the famous axiom that "São Paulo is the grave of samba". In 1998 she recorded an album dedicated entirely to thepagodeclassics,Pérolas do Pagode(Pagode Pearls).

Beth Carvalho performing in Paris during the year of Brazil in France. 2005

In the new millennium, Beth worked more than ever, releasing CDs and DVDs. With a career that spanned 40 years, she was a historical figure in Brazilian culture, and recognized as the female sambista with the most substantial opus in Brazil, without diminishing other stars asClara NunesandDaniela Mercury.

Beth Carvalho is depicted in the 2022documentary filmAndança - Os encontros e as memórias de Beth Carvalho,directed by Pedro Bronz.

Trivia

• Beth was a known supporter of both theBotafogoandClube Atlético Mineirofootball teams
• Beth was one of the main personalities of the samba schoolMangueira
• Beth had a variety of hits in the 1970s, with her 1979 song "Coisinha Do Pai" being one of her biggest hits. The song was inserted into theMars Pathfinder.
• Her social music often concerned the poor and theIndigenous peoples in Brazil

Discography

• Beth Carvalho – 40 anos de Carreira – Ao Vivo no Theatro Municipal – Vol.1 (CD)– Andança/Sony – BMG – 2006
• Beth Carvalho – 40 anos de Carreira – Ao Vivo no Theatro Municipal – Vol.2 (CD)– Andança/Sony – BMG – 2006
• Beth Carvalho – 40 anos de Carreira – Ao Vivo no Theatro Municipal (DVD)– Andança/Sony – BMG – 2006
• Beth Carvalho – A Madrinha do Samba – Ao Vivo (DVD)– Indie – 2004
• Beth Carvalho – A Madrinha do Samba – Ao Vivo (CD)– Indie – 2004
• Beth Carvalho Canta Cartola– BMG – 2003
• Nome Sagrado – Beth Carvalho Canta Nelson Cavaquinho– Jam Music – 2001
• Pagode de Mesa Ao Vivo 2– Universal Music – 2000
• Pagode de Mesa Ao Vivo– Universal Music – 1999
• Pérolas do Pagode– Globo / Polydor – 1998
• Brasileira da Gema– Polygram – 1996
• Beth Carvalho Canta o Samba de São Paulo– Velas – 1993
• Pérolas – 25 Anos de Samba– Som Livre – 1992
• Ao Vivo no Olympia– Som Livre – 1991
• Intérprete– Polygram – 1991
• Saudades da Guanabara– Polygram – 1989
• Alma do Brasil– Polygram – 1988
• Beth Carvalho Ao Vivo (Montreux)– RCA – 1987
• Beth– RCA – 1986
• Das Bençãos Que Virão Com os Novos Amanhãs– RCA – 1985
• Coração Feliz– RCA – 1984
• Suor no Rosto– RCA – 1983
• Traço de União– RCA – 1982
• Na fonte– RCA – 1981
• Sentimento Brasileiro– RCA – 1980
• Beth Carvalho no Pagode– RCA – 1979
• De Pé No Chão– RCA – 1978
• Nos Botequins da Vida– RCA – 1977
• Mundo Melhor– RCA – 1976
• Pandeiro e Viola– Tapecar – 1975
• Pra Seu Governo– Tapecar – 1974
• Canto Por Um Novo Dia– Tapecar – 1973
• Andança– Odeon – 1969

External links

• Entrevista 1988 (In Portuguese)