Alcides Gerardi

Alcides Gerardi achieved recognition from 1945 to 1967, above all as a bolero interpreter, after cutting 194 78 rpm discs and six LPs. His standout successes include the samba “Antonico” (Ismael Silva), later revived by Gal Costa and Elza Soares; “Tudo Foi Ilusão” (Laert Santos/Arcilino Tavares); “Brotinho Maluco” (Aníbal Cruz); “Castelo de Areia” (Geraldo Jacques/Isaías Freitas/Moreirinha); and “E Eu Sem Maria” (Alcir Pires Vermelho/Dorival Caymmi). In 1958 he released his own song “Filha do Coronel,” written with Irani de Oliveira, and he contributed lyrics throughout his career.

He began working professionally in 1935 as crooner at a Carioca gafieira, then entered the ensemble Namorados ao Luar in 1939, where he found modest popularity. In 1941 Gerardi formed Os Três Marrecos with Marília Batista and her brother Henrique Batista, and that year he also recorded “Não Faça Vontade a Ela” (Nelson Cavaquinho). Already serving as crooner for Simon Bountman’s orchestra by 1944, he joined Rádio Transmissora. The samba-canção “Pergunte a Ela” (Geraldo Pereira/Fernando Martins) gave him his first hit in 1948, though his greatest success arrived in 1950 with the samba “Antonico” (Ismael Silva). After time at Rádio Tupi he moved to Rádio Nacional in 1953 and stayed until retirement.