Alves, Francisco (1889–1952)

Francisco Alves (Francisco de Morais Alves; b. 19 August 1889; d. 27 September 1952), Brazilian singer and songwriter. Alves was born in Rio de Janeiro and raised in the Saúde district of São Paulo. He began his musical career in 1918 as a singer in the João de Deus-Martins Chaves Circus. The following year, Alves made his first recording with an interpretation of "Pé de anjo" (Angel's Foot) and "Fala, meu louro" (Speak, My Parrot), both by Sinhô. He continued singing and recording while driving a taxi and occasionally performing in the circus or musical theater. In 1927 Alves began recording at the Odeon, where he took the stage name Chico Viola. Subsequently, he became a great success performing in Carnival celebrations, with the sambas "A Malandragem" (Gypsy Life) in 1928, "Amor de malandro" (A Scoundrel's Love) in 1930, "Se você jurar" (If You Promise) in 1931, and "Sofrer é da vida" (Life Is about Suffering) in 1932. At the Odeon, Alves made the first electronically produced record in Brazil with his interpretation of Duque's "Albertina" and "Passarinho do má" (Bad Little Bird) in 1927. In 1952 Alves was killed in an automobile accident; his funeral was attended by thousands. Known as the rei da voz (king of voice), Alves recorded the most 78 rpm LPs of any Brazilian singer: almost 500 records.

See alsoMusic: Popular Music and Dance.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Marcos Antônio Marcondes, ed., Enciclopédia da música brasileira: Erudita folclórica popular (1977).

Additional Bibliography

Cardoso Júnior, Abel. Francisco Alves: As mil canções do Rei da Voz. Paraná: Revivendo, 1998.

McCann, Bryan. Hello, Hello Brazil: Popular Music in the Making of Modern Brazil. Durham: Duke University Press, 2004.

Rangel, Patrícia. Francisco Alves: Chico viola no tempo do rei da voz. Rio de Janeiro, 2000.

                                                  Lisa Maric