Nestor da Viola

Origin

Birigui, SP

Also known as

Antônio Francisco

Genres

música sertaneja, música caipira

Instruments

viola caipira, voz

Biography

Nestor da Viola, stage name of Antônio Francisco, was born in Birigui on November 3, 1938. He stood out in the caipira and sertaneja music scene as an instrumentalist, singer, and composer, and even had a line of professional violas by the Rozini brand named after him.

His artistic career began in 1950 at Rádio Clube de Biriguí, where he performed alongside his brother Arlindo Francisco, forming the duo Tonico e Arlindo. With his brother's move in 1960, the partnership was temporarily dissolved, being resumed in 1967 under the new moniker Nestor and Nestorzinho. Over the years, he consolidated his career by recording several albums of great importance to the caipira viola tradition.

His discography spans striking works such as albums released from the 1960s onwards and productions focused on viola solos, exemplified by "Rei do gado - Solos de viola sertaneja" and "Solos de Viola Caipira". Sharing the same musical roots as icons like Tião Carreiro and Pardinho, Nestor da Viola established himself as one of the great exponents of the instrument in Brazil.

Discography

• Solos de Viola Caipira (1983)
• Viola Cabocla (1987)
• Rei do Gado (Solos de Viola Sertaneja) (1997)
• Solos de Viola Caipira: O Violeiro Mais Sertanejo do Brasil (2000)
• Raízes do Sertão, Vol. 1: Moda de Viola (2001)
• O Violeiro Mais Sertanejo Do Brasil - Vol. 3 (2002)
• O Violeiro Mias Sertanejo do Brasil: Vol. 1 (2006)
• O Violeiro Mais Sertanejo do Brasil: Vol. 2 (2006)
• O Violeiro Mais Sertanejo Do Brasil - Vol. 4 (2009)
• Acoustic Guitar and Viola Caipira, Vol.11 (2013)
• Acoustic Guitar & Viola Vol.13 (2013)
• Acoustic Guitar & Viola Caipira, Vol. 7 (2013)
• Acoustic Guitar & Viola Caipira, Vol. 8 (2013)
• Acoustic Guitar and Viola Caipira: Vol. 9 (2013)
• Acoustic Guitar & Viola Caipira: Vol.12 (2013)
• Acoustic Guitar & Viola Vol.14 (2013)