Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

João Gilberto

Role / Field:

Pioneering Brazilian guitarist and singer, widely known as the 'father of bossa nova'.

Born:

1931-06-10

Died:

2019-07-06

Century / Era:

1931s Historical Era

Database Source:

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

Origins & Early Life

João Gilberto do Prado Pereira de Oliveira (, ZHWOWN zhil-BAIR-toh; Brazilian Portuguese: [ʒuˈɐ̃w ʒiwˈbɛʁtu du ˈpɾadu peˈɾejɾɐ dʒi oliˈvejɾɐ]; 10 June 1931 – 6 July 2019) was a Brazilian guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer who was a pioneer of the musical genre of bossa nova in the late 1950s. Around the world, he was often called the "father of bossa nova"; in his native Brazil, he was referred to as "O Mito" (The Myth). In 1965, the album Getz/Gilberto was the first jazz record to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. It also won Best Jazz Instrumental Album – Individual or Group and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Gilberto's Amoroso was nominated for a Grammy in 1978 in the category Best Jazz Vocal Performance. In 2001 he won in the Best World Music Album category with João voz e violão. João Gilberto was born in Juazeiro, Bahia, the son of Joviniano Domingos de Oliveira, a wealthy merchant, and Martinha do Prado Pereira de Oliveira. He lived in his native city until 1942, when he began to study in Aracaju, Sergipe, returning to Juazeiro in 1946. At the age of 14, Gilberto got his first guitar from his grandfather despite disapproval from Gilberto...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Contemporary (Born in 1931) (1931): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Adolfo Pérez Esquivel — Contemporary (Born in 1931) (1931): Argentine activist and Nobel Peace laureate for human rights defense.
• Akseli Gallen-Kallela — Contemporary (Died in 1931) (1931): Leading Finnish painter and pioneer of national romantic art, famed for the Kalevala.
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Contemporary (Died in 2019) (2019): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• Agnès Varda — Contemporary (Died in 2019) (2019): Pioneering French filmmaker, artist, and documentarian celebrated for her unique vision.
• Akihito — Contemporary (Died in 2019) (2019): 125th Emperor of Japan; reigned during the Heisei era (1989-2019).
• Adolph Zukor — Shared historical date (06-10 · Died) (1976): Pioneering Hungarian-American film producer, co-founder of Paramount Pictures.
• Alessandro Algardi — Shared historical date (06-10 · Died) (1654): Master of High-Baroque Sculpture, renowned for his portrait busts in Rome.
• 14th Dalai Lama — Shared historical date (07-06 · Born) (1935): Spiritual leader of Tibet and head of Tibetan Buddhism since 1940.
• 50 Cent — Shared historical date (07-06 · Born) (1975): Iconic rapper, actor, and entrepreneur known for raw storytelling and business acumen.
• 1931 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1931
• June 10 (06-10) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 10
• 2019 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2019
• July 6 (07-06) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 6

Frequently Asked Questions about João Gilberto