Telmo de Lima Freitas

Origin

São Borja, RS

Years Active

1947

Genres

música regional gaúcha, folk music, MPB

Instruments

acoustic guitar, voice, cavaquinho

Biography

Telmo de Lima Freitas was a prominent Brazilian singer, composer, and instrumentalist deeply rooted in the regional music of Rio Grande do Sul. Born in São Borja, he showed an early affinity for music, famously appearing on the cover of Revista Cacimba holding a cavaquinho at just two years old. Before dedicating himself fully to his artistic career, he worked various jobs, including nurse, ranch hand, rice farm laborer, and Federal Police agent.

Throughout his extensive career, Telmo became a foundational figure in the *música regional gaúcha* movement. In the 1970s, he co-founded the group Os Cantores dos Sete Povos alongside Edson Otto and José Antônio Hahn, winning the prestigious Calhandra de Ouro at the Califórnia da Canção Nativa in Uruguaiana with their iconic song "Esquilador". He released several notable albums, such as his debut O Canto de Telmo de Lima Freitas, Alma de Galpão, and A Mesma Fuça, for which he received multiple Açorians Awards.

As a versatile creator, he also published a book of Creole poetry titled De Volta ao Pago and collaborated with numerous esteemed artists of the genre, including Luiz Carlos Borges and Kiko Freitas. His legacy is celebrated as a vital pillar of southern Brazilian folk traditions, blending authentic rural poetry with traditional instrumentation. His contributions continue to inspire generations of regional musicians in Brazil.

Discography

• O Canto de Telmo de Lima Freitas (1983)
• Alma de Galpão (1990)
• Tempos de Praça (1993)
• De Marcha Batida (1994)
• RASTREADOR (1996)
• ACÚSTICO (2002)
• POESIAS (2018)
• A MESMA FUÇA (2018)
• Quarteto Canta Telmo (2022)
• ALMA GAÚCHA (2025)
• CANÇÕES DO PAMPA (2025)
• VOZ DO CAMPO (2025)
• SEMANA FARROUPILHA COM TELMO DE LIMA FREITAS 2026 (2026)
• 5 ANOS DE SAUDADE DO TELMO DE LIMA FREITAS (2026)