Carreirinho

Origin

Bofete, SP

Also known as

Adauto Ezequiel

Years active

1945–2009

Genres

sertanejo raiz, música caipira, moda de viola

Instruments

viola caipira

Biography

Adauto Ezequiel, artistically known as Carreirinho, was a prominent Brazilian singer and songwriter of traditional sertanejo music (sertanejo raiz). Born in Bofete, in the interior of São Paulo, on October 15, 1921, Carreirinho demonstrated his musical talent since childhood, receiving his first viola at the age of ten and composing his first modas while still in school. His professional career took off in the 1940s, performing in circuses and important radio stations such as Rádio América and Rádio Record in São Paulo.

Carreirinho is widely recognized for forming historic duos that marked sertanejo music. His most famous partnership was with Zé Carreiro, with whom he formed the duo Zé Carreiro & Carreirinho. Together, they recorded classics like "Canoeiro" and "Ferreirinha", the latter considered one of the best-crafted lyrics in caipira music. He also formed a duo with Tião Carreiro and with his wife, Zita Carreiro, forming the duo Zita Carreiro and Carreirinho.

Throughout his extensive career, Carreirinho composed around 2,000 songs, many of which became true anthems of traditional sertanejo music, such as "Ferreirinha" and "Boi Soberano". His work is a legacy of the stories and feelings of the countryside man, sensitively portraying life in the backwoods. Adauto Ezequiel passed away on March 27, 2009, in São Paulo, at the age of 87, leaving an immeasurable void in Brazilian musical culture.