Armando Santos

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years active

1940–1970

Genres

samba, mpb

Biography

Armando Santos was a significant figure in Brazilian music, particularly associated with the samba and the iconic samba school Portela. Born in Bento Ribeiro, Rio de Janeiro, his family moved to Água Santa and later Madureira during his childhood. Santos began his musical journey early, having recorded two compositions, "Não devemos zombar" and "Minha sorte," before officially joining Portela in 1940, brought in by Juca Redondo.

Beyond his musical contributions, Santos was also a respected leader within Portela. He served as the school's president in 1953, a challenging year where he faced difficulties in presenting the carnival parade. Despite these hurdles, he successfully introduced parade floats (tripés) that year, contributing to a magnificent parade for which Portela received top marks. His leadership was instrumental in Portela's celebration of a "400-point carnival" that year, a victory that also accounted for the previous year's annulled results.

Santos was also a collaborator, notably partnering with Augusto Lima, the father of the renowned musician Jorge Benjor. His compositions, such as "A maldade não tem fim" and "Em primeiro lugar" (co-written with Chico Santana), were featured in important Portela recordings, including the first album by the Velha Guarda da Portela. He continued to perform with the Velha Guarda in the 1970s, later dedicating himself to organizing the school's veteran members. Armando Santos passed away on August 29, 2001.