Biography:

Germano Mathias ( São Paulo , June 2 , 1934 – Franco da Rocha , February 22 , 2023 [ 2 ] ) was a Brazilian singer and composer , representative of São Paulo samba .

His big hit was “Minha Nega na Janela”, also his debut samba. He drew attention because of his peculiar way of interpreting sambas, always syncopated, and accompanying them by playing with the lid of a grease can, a legacy of the shoeshine boys from Praça da Sé, with whom he lived in the early 1950s. Germano is also known for performing several sambas by Zé Ketti .

Most of his records came out in the 1950s and 1960s. After that, his releases were increasingly sporadic.

Childhood, adolescence and first jobs

Germano was born on Rua Santa Rita in the Pari neighborhood on July 2, 1934, the son of Zulmira and Júlio Matias, both descendants of Portuguese immigrants . From his grandparents, he learned fados and songs as a child. [ 3 ]

At the age of 14, he was invited to join the Rosas Negras samba school, joining the frying pan section on the drums . In 1952, he switched to Lavapés . [ 3 ]

In his first jobs, he worked as a street vendor, a hammer and selling anti-itch ointments and soap. [ 3 ]

Career

Germano began his career on October 26, 1955, when he appeared in the section “À Procura de um Astro”, on the program Caravana da Alegria , which J. Silvestre , Cláudio Luna and Élcio Álvares had on Rádio Tupi in São Paulo . On the occasion, he sang “Minha Nega na Janela” at the same time as he played a fat pad, his composition with Firmo Jordão that would later be one of his hits recorded by Polydor . [ 4 ] Among the 300 candidates, Germano was the winner and won a contract with Tupi, lasting fourteen months and earning a salary of three thousand cruises . [ 5 ]

In 1957, he won the Roquette Pinto Trophy for male revelation (alongside Maysa , who won the female revelation), which gave him a boost in his career, which took off. [ 6 ]

During a visit to Mangueira , he met Zé Keti , of whom he would record several compositions. [ 7 ]

He participated in the films The Price of Victory and Who Stole My Samba? . [ 7 ]

From the 1960s onwards, his career declined and he fell into oblivion. The ostracism was such that he was not contacted when Gilberto Gil released Antologia do Samba-Choro , an album alternating recordings by Germano with interpretations by Gil. Instead of inviting him to re-record the songs, the record company used old records. The album was successful and prompted the re-release of Germano’s old albums by RGE and CID, but Germano felt relegated to the background. [ 8 ]

At one point, Germano had to abandon his musical career and work as a criminal justice officer . [ 8 ]

He was invited to act in the soap opera Brasileiras e Brasileiros , shown on SBT in 1990 . [ 9 ] In 2005 he completed 50 years of career and continues to perform. In 2004 he released “Tributo a Caco Velho”, in homage to the composer from Rio Grande do Sul who influenced him so much, who died in 1971. Previously, in 2003, he had released Talento de Bamba . On CD, you can find: Ginga no Asfalto , from 1962; and 20 favorites. Germano Mathias (Som Livre).

Tributes

In 1967, he received a bachelor’s degree from the Order of the Golden Reed from X-9 . [ 10 ]

On August 31 , 2010 , he was awarded the Order of Ipiranga by the Government of the State of São Paulo . [ 11 ]

Death

After a 67-year career, Germano died on Ash Wednesday , in a hospital in Franco da Rocha , where he was suffering from severe pneumonia . [ two ]

Credits:

Wikipedia