Fernando Mendes

Origin

Conselheiro Pena, MG

Also known as

Luiz Fernando Mendes Ferreira

Years Active

1967

Genres

brega, romântico, MPB

Instruments

voz, violão

Biography

Luiz Fernando Mendes Ferreira, artistically known as Fernando Mendes, was born in Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, on May 7, 1950. Raised in a humble family, he showed an interest in music from an early age and got his first acoustic guitar in his teens, later joining the musical ensemble Blue Boys to perform at local dances. Moving to Rio de Janeiro, he worked as a crooner at Boate Plaza until signing with the record label EMI-Odeon after an audition intermediated by Miguel Plopschi.

Fernando Mendes's national acclaim came in the 1970s, driven by the release of hits such as "A Desconhecida", "Recordações" and the striking "Cadeira de Rodas", a track that achieved significant sales and earned him a gold record. A contemporary of names like José Augusto, the singer consolidated his romantic style by landing hits such as "Ontem, Hoje, Amanhã", "A Menina da Calçada" and "Você Não Me Ensinou a Te Esquecer", a song that later gained strong projection when it was recorded by Caetano Veloso for the soundtrack of the film Lisbela e o Prisioneiro.

Throughout a trajectory of over five decades, Fernando Mendes has accumulated dozens of studio albums, compilations and live recordings, in addition to important awards such as the Villa-Lobos Award. His songs have been recorded by various artists from different generations, ranging from sertanejo duos to exponents of MPB, keeping his relevance alive in the Brazilian music scene and guaranteeing performances throughout the country and abroad.

Discography

• Fernando Mendes (1973)
• Fernando Mendes (1974)
• Fernando Mendes (1975)
• Desde Brasil (1976)
• Fernando Mendes (1977)
• Fernando Mendes (1978)
• Fernando Mendes (1979)
• Fernando Mendes (1981)
• Feitiço (1982)
• Loucura Passional (1984)
• Tema para um Adeus (1985)
• Fogo de Amor (1988)
• Fernando Mendes (1989)
• Fernando Mendes (1991)
• Fernando Mendes (1993)
• Fernando Mendes (1994)
• Nova Bis (2005)
• Ao Vivo