Zico Dias e Ferrinho

Origin

Piracicaba, SP

Years Active

1920s–1930s

Genres

caipira music, moda de viola, cururu

Instruments

viola

Biography

Zico Dias and Ferrinho were a pioneering duo of Brazilian caipira music, formed by João Dias Rodrigues Filho (Zico Dias) and Ferrinho, both natives of Piracicaba, São Paulo. Authentic "caipiras", Zico Dias worked as a driver, while Ferrinho was an agricultural worker. The duo specialized in rural genres and participated in the "First Caipira Troupe" organized by Cornélio Pires in the late 1920s, a milestone for the dissemination of countryside music.

Their recording career began with the recordings made with the "Caipira Troupe" and Cornélio Pires, including songs like "Desafio de caipiras" and "O verdadeiro samba paulista". In 1930, they released their first record with the Victor label, interpreting public domain themes such as "Vou fazer um barquinho". In the same year, they presented their first original compositions, "Revolução de Getúlio Vargas" and "A morte de João Pessoa", which portrayed political and social events of the time, functioning as sound chronicles.

The duo continued to release records with moda de viola and traditional dances, such as "Adeus Campinas das flores" and "Os canários estão cantando" in 1931, and "Fui passear na cidade" in 1932. Zico Dias and Ferrinho are remembered as one of the most prestigious groups of the early 1930s, contributing significantly to the development and popularization of caipira music in Brazil, alongside other names like Mariano & Caçula and Raul Torres.