Altemar Dutra

Altemar Dutra, a singer who learned his craft without formal instruction, achieved widespread acclaim across Brazil, Latin America, and the United States through his performances of romantic Latin tunes spanning multiple styles. Several of the albums he cut saw international distribution. Relocating to Colatina in Espírito Santo alongside his relatives, he acquired skills on the violão entirely on his own. His debut onstage occurred at Rádio Difusora, where he took first place in a contest for newcomers. Following additional victories that validated his abilities, Dutra relocated to Rio de Janeiro upon turning 17 and secured engagements at Boite Baccarat as well as the renowned O Cangaceiro nightclub. In the early 1960s, he issued his initial single featuring the tracks "Saudade Que Vem," penned by Oldemar Magalhães and Célio Ferreira, paired with "Somente Uma Vez" from Luiz Mergulhão and Roberto Moreira. Audience loyalty grew through appearances on Rádio Mundial's Boleros Dentro Da Noite program, leading to a contract with Odeon. "Tudo De Mim," a composition by Evaldo Gouveia and Jair Amorim, marked his breakthrough hit on a national scale. Further successes drawn from the same songwriting pair included "Sentimental Demais," "Somos Iguais," "O Trovador," and "Que Queres Tu De Mim?" Brazilian audiences received 24 LPs from him over time. Spanish-language recordings followed, with sales reaching 500,000 units in that language; one such effort was the collaborative El Bolero Se Canta Así alongside Lucho Gatica. Multiple tours took him through additional Latin American nations. Within U.S. Latino circles, his popularity placed him among the foremost non-domestic vocalists. Death came while he was onstage at La Tranquera, a nightclub in New York.