Zé Ramalho's Biography

Leonardo Anjos

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7:30 pm

Composer and singer with Northeastern Folklore inspired songs, the "Paraibano" Zé Ramalho just started to research more carefully this kind of music when he was 20. Until then, his major influences were Jovem Guarda, Beatles and Rolling Stones. In Paraíba, he met Alceu Valença and Geraldo Azevedo, who became his partners on his compositions.

He moved to Rio in the mid 70's, where Vanusa recorded his first successful song, "Avohai". His first individual album, "Zé Ramalho da Paraíba", was released in 1978, and then he increased the fusion between pop, rock and Northeastern music on his songs, been noted as a lyricist and singer. The next year he recorded "Admirável Gado Novo".

From 1981 to 1987 he launched a album each year, including success like "A Terceira Lâmina", "Força Verde", "Dança das Luzes", "Desejo de Mouro" and "Mary Mar". In the late 90's, he had his career intensified with an overworked production "Antologia Acústica" in 1997, and two editions of "Grande Encontro", where he sings with Alceu Valença, Elba Ramalho and Geraldo Azevedo.
In 2000 he records "Nação Nordestina", an ode to the Brazilian Northeastern personalities . The album´s cover is a parody to The Beatles' famous album called "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". This album was indicated the Latin Grammy award, as the best regional music one.In 2001, he recorded the album "Zé Ramalho canta Raul Seixas", a long time waited project. The album became a DVD, recorded during the introduction show in Rio de Janeiro.
His last job was " Zé Ramalho Live!", released in 2005, in both CD and DVD versions. It brings Zé Ramalho's greatest hits, recorded live.