Antonio dos Santos

Antonio dos Santos came up playing guitar in Caruaru, Pernambuco, where the local forró traditions shaped his early years. He later worked with accordionist Sivuca, and in 1983 they put out an album called "Acorda Maria Bonita." The title track from that record became his best-known song.

That song, "Acorda Maria Bonita," caught on widely in Brazil and stayed in rotation at forró shows. Other tracks like "Cachaça Não É Água" and "Arca de Noé" also became part of his set. He kept performing, drawing on the rhythms he heard growing up, without much fuss about reinvention.

In the early 2000s, there was some talk about a melody in one of his songs sounding like a traditional Portuguese tune, but it didn't stick. He kept playing the music he knew, the kind that filled dance floors in Pernambuco and beyond.