Arlindo Cruz, one of the greatest names in Brazilian samba, dies

Singer and songwriter Arlindo Cruz died this Friday, the 8th, at the age of 66. His death was confirmed by the artist's family and occurred at Barra D'Or Hospital in Rio's west zone.

The singer, who was suffering from the after-effects of a hemorrhagic stroke that occurred in 2017, had been hospitalized since March of this year to treat a resistant bacteria, resulting from pneumonia.

Arlindo Cruz was one of the biggest names in samba. Born in Rio de Janeiro on September 14, 1958, he began his career in 1981 in the samba circles of Cacique de Ramos, alongside artists such as Jorge Aragão, Beto sem Braço, and Almir Guineto.

Composer, he had many of his songs re-recorded by big names in music, such as Meu Lugar , recorded by Beth Carvalho; also on the list are O Show Tem Que Continuar , originally released by Fundo de Quintal, also re-recorded by Beth Carvalho and Xande de Pilares; and Ainda é Tempo Pra Ser Feliz , written by Arlindo, in partnership with Sombra and Sombrinha, and released on Zeca Pagodinho's album.

Arlindo was a member of the group Fundo de Quintal until 1993, and then launched a solo career. Between 1996 and 2002, in partnership with musician Sombrinha, he released five albums, and the first, Da Música (1996), sold sixty thousand copies. The singer's last artistic project was Pagode 2 Arlindos , made in 2017 with his son Arlindinho.

The samba artist has won more than twenty-six awards, including the 26th Brazilian Music Award, and has won nineteen samba-enredo competitions with the Império Serrano, Acadêmicos do Grande Rio, Unidos de Vila Isabel, and Leão de Nova Iguaçu samba schools. He has been nominated for a Latin Grammy five times, four times for Best Samba/Pagode Album and one for Best Song in Portuguese.

In a statement, the samba singer's family and team mourned his death. "Arlindo was a samba poet, a man of faith, generosity, and joy, who dedicated his life to bringing music and love to everyone who crossed his path. His voice, his compositions, and his smile will live on in the memories and hearts of millions of admirers," they wrote.

Samba singer Sombrinha, Arlindo's partner on several projects, also expressed his condolences on social media. " Today... samba has fallen sadly. I lost my compadre. My partner. My brother with so many stories, a longtime friend, " he wrote. " One of the greatest samba poets has passed away. A genius of Brazilian music. A unique instrumentalist who transformed notes into emotion. His legacy is immense... and eternal. We will carry on... singing his sambas... Forever, Arlindão," he added.