Ary do Cavaco

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years Active

1962–2011

Genres

samba, samba-enredo, partido-alto

Instruments

cavaquinho, voice

Biography

Ary do Cavaco, the stage name of an important Brazilian composer, singer, and cavaquinho player, was born in Rio de Janeiro and spent part of his childhood in São João de Meriti. Before establishing himself in music, he worked various jobs in his youth, such as a machinist, shoeshine boy, and bread vendor, having taught himself to play the cavaquinho.

His artistic career gained major prominence when he joined the Portela Composers' Wing in 1962, a samba school of which he would later become president and where he organized the notable Composers' Wing album in 2000. Throughout his career, he formed partnerships with names like Silvinho do Pandeiro and composed memorable works that marked the history of samba, engaging with the tradition of pillars such as Paulinho da Viola.

His most celebrated creation was the samba-enredo "Lapa em três tempos", composed for Portela's 1971 Carnival and recorded with great success by Paulinho da Viola. Ary do Cavaco passed away in September 2011, leaving an indelible legacy for samba and Portela's culture, and was posthumously honored by the Alegria de Quintino bloc.