The Pop Hit's & Claudio Fontana (3rd from left) in 1966.
article about Claudio Fontana on Revista Melodias - 1973.
'You'll never make money singing', said Claudio Fontana's sister when he left his job as a stenographer to accompany Antonio Garim, 'El gringo del samba' in shows around the outskirsts of Rio de Janeiro.
One day he was playing his guitar at DJ Jair de Taumaturgo's Rock Show on TV Rio when he met Wanderley Cardoso, a young singer from São Paulo who had been very popular in Rio since 1966. He showed him some of his songs and Wanderley was so enthusiastic that he invited Claudio to move in with him and his manager Genival Melo who lived in São Paulo.
Wanderley recorded some of Fontana's songs like 'Não posso controlar meu pensamento' (I can't control my thoughts), 'Canudinho' (Straw) and 'Doce de côco' that went up the charts. Wanderley starred in a film 'Pobre príncipe encantado' (Poor enchanted prince) whose sound-track was written by Fontana. All was well until Cardoso dropped Genival as his manager and moved to Rio definitely.
Genival Melo had a stable of young hopefuls like Antonio Marcos and Nelson Ned and decided to work on Claudio Fontana as a singer. 'Adeus ingrata', his first single for Copacabana Records went straight to #1, becoming one of the best selling songs in 1969. Claudio Fontana had finally arrived.
He soon recorded his first album in which he paid tribute to São Luiz do Maranhão, his hometown with 'São Luiz, ilha do amor', that eventually became an anthem for the most northern Brazilian capital city.
He soon recorded his first album in which he paid tribute to São Luiz do Maranhão, his hometown with 'São Luiz, ilha do amor', that eventually became an anthem for the most northern Brazilian capital city.
'O homem de Nazaré', a song describing the times in which Jesus lived in Palestine was Claudio Fontana's biggest hit. It was recorded by his friend Antonio Marcos and went to #1 in the whole country in 1973.
Claudio Fontana gets a Chico Viola Award from Kalil Filho for 'Adeus ingrata' in 1969.
Claudio Fontana's EP 'Adeus ingrata'.
Claudio Fontana at TV Guide Intervalo in 1967.
Nelson Ned is interviewed by 'Intervalo' in 1970. It is remarkable how rude the journalist is to Ned who was a dwarf.
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