Eugênio Waszak

Eugênio Waszak came up in Curitiba in the 1970s, playing with a band called Os Gatos de Vênus before going solo. His first album, 'A Minha Reza,' came out in 1980 and did well enough to get him noticed. Some of his songs, like 'Não Demora' and 'Onda Estrada,' have stuck around in Brazilian rock circles.

He wrote in a direct, sometimes blunt way that could get him into trouble. One song, 'Coração de Pedra,' was called out for being too explicit about sex. But that plain talk is also what connected with people who felt left out or wanted something more honest from their music.

Waszak kept putting out records for years after that, working in a space between folk, blues, and rock. He never became a huge mainstream name, but he built a catalog that certain listeners still return to.