Mario Rossi

Origin

Petrópolis, RJ

Years active

1936–1981

Genres

mpb, samba-cançao, valsa, bolero

Instruments

poetry

Biography

Mario Rossi was a prominent Brazilian lyricist and poet, born in Petrópolis in 1911. Coming from a humble working-class background, he engaged in various professions before fully dedicating himself to writing and music, eventually moving to Rio de Janeiro where he served as a civil guard for several years while nurturing his artistic career.

His songwriting career took off in the late 1930s through partnerships with notable composers such as Gastão Lamounier and Roberto Martins. Over his lifetime, Rossi had more than 150 compositions recorded by legendary interpreters of Brazilian popular music, including Carlos Galhardo, Nelson Gonçalves, and Dalva de Oliveira. Some of his most enduring works include the famous waltz "A valsa dos noivos" and the bolero "Que será?", written alongside Marino Pinto.

In addition to his prolific output in samba-canção, valsas, and boleros, Rossi was also a published poet, releasing works such as "Poemas para ler e escrever" and "Argila humana". His profound contributions left a lasting mark on Brazil's golden age of radio and musical history, collaborating closely with figures like Herivelto Martins and seeing his greatest interpretations delivered by Gilberto Alves.