Ed Carlos

Ed Carlos was a Brazilian singer and songwriter from Rio de Janeiro, born in 1950. He worked with composer Billy Blanco in the 1970s on what became his most famous song, 'Meu Aniversário.' That track, along with others like 'Uma Velha Canção de Amor' and 'Estou Feliz,' helped define his place in Brazilian pop.

His music drew from samba and bossa nova traditions, but he also listened to American rock and roll. The albums he released in the 1970s and early 1980s, including 'Ed Carlos' (1971) and 'O Artista' (1973), featured his soulful voice and straightforward lyrics. Songs like 'E Por Isso Eu Te Peço Perdão' and 'Já Esqueci' carried a direct, personal quality that connected with listeners.

Ed Carlos died in 2012. His work, particularly 'Meu Aniversário,' still gets played and covered in Brazil. It's one of those songs that feels familiar to people who grew up with it, even if they don't know much about the man who sang it.