Carmélia Alves
Carmélia Alves (February 14, 1923 – November 3, 2012) was a Brazilian singer known as "Queen of Baião," as she was one of the country's best known baião performers.[1] Baião is a folk rhythm popular in Northeast Brazil.
Alves began her career at the Hotel Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, where she performed covers of hits by Carmen Miranda.[1] However, she devoted her career to baião. Her friend, baião and accordionist Luiz Gonzaga, influenced her decision to pursue the music of Northeast Brazil.[1]
Alves' late husband of fifty years was singer, Jimmy Lester, who died in 1998.[1] They had no children. Alves and Lester performed together throughout the world, including Argentina, Germany and Mexico. She opened a branch of her recording company in Buenos Aires due to the success of her career in Argentina.[1]
Alves formed a group of professional singers from the 1950s in 2000.[1]
Alves died from cancer at the Jacarepagua Hospital in Rio de Janeiro on November 3, 2012, at the age of 89.[1] She had been in the hospital for one month.[1]