Zé Luiz Rodovalho

Zé Luiz Rodovalho was born in Maceió in northeastern Brazil, where he grew up with the region's music. He formed his band Zé Luiz Rodovalho e Seu Regional in the late 1960s, playing accordion and singing. His song 'Baião' came out in 1972 and became closely associated with him, though it was co-written with the poet Humberto Teixeira.

Rodovalho's music centered on baião, a dance style with a 2/4 beat often led by accordion. He recorded albums like 'Forró no Forró' in 1976 and 'Baião de Dois' in 1995. Other songs in his catalog include 'Canção a Beira Mar,' 'Foi Assim,' and 'Não Quero Mais Tristeza.'

His band typically included instruments like zabumba, triangle, and pandeiro alongside his accordion. During the 1970s, when Brazil's military government was suppressing some popular culture, Rodovalho kept performing. Later there was a dispute over the authorship of 'Baião,' which led to legal proceedings.