Porca Veia

Origin

Lagoa Vermelha, RS

Also known as

Elio da Rosa Xavier

Years active

1958–2013-12-28

Genres

gaucho music, regional brazilian music, folk music

Instruments

accordion, gaíta

Biography

Porca Veia, artistic name of Élio da Rosa Xavier, was a renowned Brazilian singer, songwriter, accordionist, and gaucho accordionist born in Lagoa Vermelha. Before dedicating himself fully to music, he worked as a rural producer until his teenage years and later completed an agricultural technical course, during which he earned the nickname that became his famous stage moniker. Influenced by his musically inclined family, he began his artistic journey at a very young age and eventually emerged as a dominant force in regional folk circuits, winning nineteen out of twenty accordion competitions he entered.

Throughout his prolific career, he established the Grupo Musical Cordiona, a traditional dance band, and recorded twenty-one CDs alongside three DVDs, earning two Gold Records for his commercial success. He performed at prestigious venues across Brazil such as Canecão in Rio de Janeiro and Palace in São Paulo, often sharing stages or collaborating with notable artists like Kleiton e Kledir, Renato Borghetti, and Yamandu Costa. His contributions to regional culture earned him numerous honors, including honorary citizenship and military brigade commendations.

After spending 33 years performing on stages, Porca Veia concluded his active career with a massive farewell show in December 2013 at the Festa da Uva pavilion in front of thousands of fans. He passed away in June 2020 at the age of 68 in Novo Hamburgo following a cardiac arrest. His legacy remains deeply tied to the traditionalist gaucho music movement in southern Brazil.