Nelson Gonçalves

Nelson Gonçalves (June 21, 1919 – April 18, 1998) was a Brazilian singer and songwriter.

Born Antônio Gonçalves Sobral in Santana do Livramento, Rio Grande do Sul, he was raised in São Paulo. As a young man, he worked at a variety of menial jobs, including boxing, before embarking on a career in music that saw him become one of the most popular Brazilian radio singers of the 1950s.

Nelson Gonçalves had a very productive collaboration with lyricist Adelino Moreira and recorded numerous successful albums. One of the great crooners of the day, he gained an international following and appeared at venues such as Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Nelson sold more than 62 million albums around the globe and is the second best-selling Brazilian artist of all time, behind Roberto Carlos (77 million).

His personal life was sometimes filled with turmoil, and at one time, a cocaine addiction almost destroyed his career. Despite having an outstanding singing voice, he was known to have a stutter in his regular speech.

Nelson Gonçalves died of a heart attack at the age of 79.

On his passing, Nelson Gonçalves was buried at Cemitério São João Batista in Rio de Janeiro.

In 2001, director Elizeu Ewald filmed a docu-drama about his life.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 21, 1919 (Santana do Livramento), Died April 18, 1998 (Rio de Janeiro)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1941 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, composer, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 44 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor S-052292 10-in. 8/4/1941 Formosa mulher Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo, with mixed vocal group and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor S-052405 10-in. 11/6/1941 Podia ser pior Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052618 10-in. 9/9/1942 O homem da capa preta Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052627 10-in. 10/1/1942 Diga Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052629 10-in. 9/30/1942 A mulher do Seu José Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052782 10-in. 6/1/1943 Quando a saudade vier Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052783 10-in. 6/1/1943 Mãe Maria Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052800 10-in. 7/7/1943 Ai amor Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052801 10-in. 7/7/1943 Sempre em meu coração Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052818 10-in. 8/17/1943 Brasil, coração da gente Custódio Mesquita Orchestra ; Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor S-052819 10-in. 8/17/1943 Meu barco é veleiro Custódio Mesquita Orchestra ; Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor S-052836 10-in. 9/17/1943 Eu jurei Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052837 10-in. 9/17/1943 Vai amor Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052842 10-in. 10/6/1943 Sabiá de mangueira Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052843 10-in. 10/6/1943 Quasi Louco Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo' vocalist  
Victor S-052930 10-in. 2/17/1944 Tudo é nostalgia Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-052931 10-in. 2/17/1944 Queira Deus Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, songwriter  
Victor S-052950 10-in. 4/27/1944 Dos meus braços tú não sairás Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor S-052951 10-in. 4/27/1944 Saudades do Rio Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor S-052962 10-in. 5/12/1944 Nossa comédia Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor S-052963 10-in. 5/12/1944 Casa de Sopapo Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor S-052968 10-in. 5/30/1944 Nadir Nelson Gonçalves Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor S-052969 10-in. 5/30/1944 Primeira mulher Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor S-078058 10-in. 9/29/1944 Não aguento mais Nelson Gonçalves ; Orquesta Zaccarias Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Victor S-078427 10-in. 1/29/1946 Seus olhos na canção Nelson Gonçalves Male vocal solo vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 44 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gonçalves, Nelson," accessed June 1, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110737.

Gonçalves, Nelson. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved June 1, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110737.

"Gonçalves, Nelson." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 June 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110737

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