Amália Rodrigues

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Amália Rodrigues

Role / Field:

The legendary Portuguese fado singer, known worldwide as the 'Queen of Fado'.

Born:

1920-07-23

Died:

1999-10-06

Century / Era:

1920s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Foundations

Amália da Piedade Rodrigues (23 July 1920 – 6 October 1999) was a Portuguese fado singer (fadista). Dubbed Rainha do Fado ("Queen of Fado"), she was instrumental in popularising fado worldwide and travelled internationally throughout her career. Rodrigues remains the best-selling Portuguese artist in the history of recorded music. Even though official documents give her date of birth as 23 July, Rodrigues herself maintained that her birthday was actually 1 July 1920.

Key Developments & Impact

The baptism certificate of Rodrigues is in the Parish Church of Fundão, and the document was published in the Journal of Fundão after the singer's death, following its discovery in an investigation by Salvado J. She was born in Pena, a parish of Lisbon, Portugal. Her father was Albertino de Jesus Rodrigues, originally from the Castelo Branco district in Central Portugal, and her mother was Lucinda da Piedade Rebordão, of Fundão parish, also in the Castelo Branco district. Her maternal family had roots in Souto da Casa, a parish in Fundão, where Rodrigues's grandfather worked as a blacksmith. According to the testimony of José Filipe Duarte Gonçalves, her sister, Celeste, was...

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1920 (1920-07-23): Birth of Amália Rodrigues — The legendary Portuguese fado singer, known worldwide as the 'Queen of Fado'.
2. 1999 (1999-10-06): Passing & Historical Legacy — Amália Rodrigues passed away on 1999-10-06, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Notable Quotes by Amália Rodrigues

“I sang for the world, and the world sang with me.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Amália Rodrigues

True or False: “Amália Rodrigues was primarily known for singing in the style of Samba, a Brazilian genre.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): She was the most famous and influential singer of Fado, the traditional melancholic music of Portugal.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1920 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1920
• July 23 (07-23) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 23
• 1999 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1999
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Frequently Asked Questions about Amália Rodrigues