Alcyr Pires Vermelho

Origin

Muriaé, MG

Years active

1929–1994

Genres

samba, marchinha, valsa, bolero, samba-exaltação

Instruments

piano

Biography

Alcyr Pires Vermelho was a renowned Brazilian pianist and composer, celebrated as one of the finest melodists of Brazilian popular music during the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Muriaé, he learned to play the piano from his mother and later studied under professor Amadeu Pacífico. After working as a bank employee in various cities, he moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1929, where he began his career as a radio pianist and prolific songwriter for the burgeoning recording and broadcasting industries.

Throughout his career, he collaborated with many prominent figures of Brazilian music, including Lamartine Babo, Braguinha, Pedro Caetano, David Nasser, and Dorival Caymmi. Among his most famous compositions are enduring successes like "Tic-Tac do Meu Coração," famously recorded by Carmen Miranda, and "Canta Brasil," recorded by Francisco Alves. His versatile output encompassed various genres, such as marchinhas, sambas, valsas, and sambas-exaltação.

In addition to his creative output, Alcyr Pires Vermelho played a pivotal role in the institutional organization of Brazilian culture. In 1942, he co-founded the Brazilian Union of Composers alongside fellow musical luminaries like Ary Barroso and Ataulfo Alves. His lasting legacy remains deeply intertwined with the golden age of Brazilian radio and popular composition.