Since the 1960s Luís Vagner has championed Brazilian soul and reggae, a commitment Jorge Ben Jor honored by writing the song “Luiz Vagner Guitarreiro” for him. Over the decades numerous artists have recorded his material, among them the black-psychedelia duo Tony Bizarro & Frankye Adriano, who cut “Depois da Chuva no Posto Quatro” (Luís Vagner/Tom Gomes) for their 1971 album Tony & Frankye; Paulo Diniz (“Como?”), Bebeto (“Segura a Nega”), Lady Zu, Tony Tornado, Wando (“Se Quiser Chorar por Mim”), Ronnie Von (“Sílvia,” “Vinte Horas,” “Domingo”), Adriana (“Justo Nesta Noite”), Eliana Pittman (“Vou Pular Neste Carnaval”), Luís Américo (“Camisa 10”), and Sílvio Brito (“Espelho Mágico”), plus many others.
Vagner first surfaced in 1963 in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, as a member of The Jetsons. The group appeared on the TV Piratini program Juventude em Brasa and issued the 1967 single “Lutamos pra Viver.” In 1966 they relocated to São Paulo, adopted the name Os Brasas, and joined Banda Jovem do Maestro Peruzzi, the ensemble that backed Eduardo Araújo during his popular television appearances. During this period Demétrius recorded Vagner’s “Magoei Seu Coração,” while Os Brasas themselves supported Deny & Dino and released an LP along with several singles. After the band dissolved in 1969, Vagner issued a single pairing “Viagem Para o Sul” with “Moro no Fim da Rua,” the latter subsequently taken up by Wilson Simonal and Trio Esperança.
His debut album, Luiz Vagner Lopes, arrived in 1974. The track “Guria” gained wide exposure when it was featured in the 1978 telenovela Dancin’ Days and later appeared on the 1979 album Fusão das Raças. In 1982 Vagner performed Jorge Ben’s “Crioulo Glorificado” at the MPB Shell Festival; the rendition was included on Pelo Amor do Povo Novo.
