
Sivuca was born in May 26, 1930, in Itabaiana, in the state of Paraíba, in northeast Brazil. When he was nine years old, his father gave him an accordion, and the passion for music was then rapidly developed. After some years – as soon as he started to improve his talents –, he began to attract attention locally. At fifteen years old, he became part of a radio station staff in Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco, and at twenty-one years old, he recorded his first album. In the same year, Sivuca released a single in a partnership with musician Humberto Teixeira that became a national success.
With the firm resolution to consolidate a career in music, in 1955 Sivuca moved to Rio de Janeiro, then the capital and cultural center of Brazil. In the following year, he released another album, titled Motivo para Dançar. Then Sivuca toured Europe as part of a musical group called Os Brasileiros, and by the end of the decade, he started living in Europe, more precisely in Portugal and France.

When he returned to Brazil, Sivuca started to compose movie soundtracks, and participated heavily in the regional music scene, consolidating his reputation as a virtuous patrimony of Brazilian folk music. He was a widely active recording artist, having released more than thirty albums, in a career that spanned half a century, most of which was accompanied by his wife, 72 years old singer-songwriter Glória Gadelha, that participated in several of his musical projects, and currently works with her daughter to preserve Sivuca’s artistic legacy.
Sivuca died in December 14, 2006, at 76 years old. For sure, he will be deeply missed, but fortunately, his magnificent legacy survives, and his majestically creative and eclectic musical treasures remain, for the joy and amusement of folk music enthusiasts.
Wagner