Dorival Caymmi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dorival Caymmi
Caymmi in 1938
Background information
Birth name	Dorival Caymmi
Born	(1914-04-30)April 30, 1914 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Origin	Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Died	August 16, 2008(2008-08-16) (aged 94) Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Genres	Samba, bossa nova
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1933–2008
Labels	Odeon Columbia Continental RCA Victor Elenco Phonogram Funarte Som Livre Universal EMI
Associated acts	Tom Jobim João Gilberto Nana Caymmi Dori Caymmi Danilo Caymmi

Dorival Caymmi (April 30, 1914 – August 16, 2008) was a famous Brazilian singer, songwriter, actor, and painter. He was active for over 70 years, starting in 1933.

He helped create Brazil's bossa nova music style. Many of his samba songs, like "Samba da Minha Terra" and "Doralice", are now Brazilian classics. He also wrote beautiful songs about the fishermen and women of Bahia, such as "Promessa de Pescador". Caymmi wrote about 100 songs in his life. Many musicians, both Brazilian and from other countries, have sung his songs.

A writer from The New York Times said Caymmi was very important for Brazilian music. His songs about the people and culture of Bahia shaped how Brazil was seen by others. Caymmi was married to singer Stella Maris for 68 years. Their children, Dori, Danilo, and Nana, are also well-known musicians. They all started their careers by performing with their father. In 2014, his granddaughter Alice also became a musician.

Early Life and First Songs

Caymmi was born in Salvador, Bahia, a city in Brazil. His father played music at home, and his mother sang often. Dorival sang in his church's choir when he was young.

At 13, he started working as a journalist for a newspaper. When the newspaper closed, he became a street vendor. Even though he didn't formally study music, he taught himself guitar in the late 1920s. He began writing and singing his own songs on Bahian radio shows around 1930.

He became widely known in 1933. He wrote the song "O Que É Que a Baiana Tem?" for singer Carmen Miranda. In 1936, he won a songwriting contest at Salvador's annual Carnaval. He moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1938. He planned to study law and work as a journalist again. While working at a newspaper, he spent his free time writing and singing on a radio show. His music became very popular with the show's listeners.

Caymmi's Music Career

His Unique Style

Many of Caymmi's songs celebrate the life, beaches, fishermen, and women of his home state, Bahia. He got a lot of ideas from music from northeastern Brazil. This included Afro-Brazilian music and samba.

He recorded music for over 50 years and released about 20 albums. Sometimes he sang alone with his guitar. Other times, bands and orchestras played with him. Even though he wrote only about 100 songs, they were known for being very high quality. He sometimes worked with Tom Jobim, who called him a "universal genius." Many modern Brazilian artists say Caymmi greatly influenced their music.

Key Moments in His Career

Caymmi in 1956

"O Que É Que a Baiana Tem?" became even more famous in Brazil. This was after Carmen Miranda sang it in the 1939 movie Banana da Terra. This song helped her become famous around the world. After this success, Caymmi focused more on music. He wrote songs for other Brazilian films.

In 1939, he signed with Odeon Records. He recorded his first three songs, including "Rainha do Mar" and "O Que É Que a Baiana Tem?". He became more famous in the early 1940s. He performed regularly on the Brazilian radio network Rádio Nacional. He recorded "Samba da Minha Terra" in 1940. In 1944, he sang his own song "Acontece Que Eu Sou Baiano" in a movie. In the late 1940s, he was part of the samba-canção music movement. Other famous Brazilian musicians covered his songs, like Dick Farney who sang "Marina" in 1947.

In the 1950s and 1960s, musicians like Tom Jobim and João Gilberto worked with Caymmi. They helped create the bossa nova style. Gilberto sang many of Caymmi's songs, like "Rosa Morena". Jobim loved Caymmi's music, and they became close friends. In 1965, an American writer translated Caymmi's song "Das Rosas" into English. It was released as "...and Roses and Roses". Singers like Astrud Gilberto and Andy Williams recorded it. Williams's version was a hit. Because of this, Caymmi was invited to Los Angeles. He performed, filmed a TV show, and recorded an album there.

Working with Jorge Amado

Jorge Amado, Caymmi's lifelong friend and collaborator, in 1972

Caymmi was a lifelong friend of the Bahian writer Jorge Amado. In 1945, Caymmi put one of Amado's poems to music. This was to help a political campaign. Later, in the 1970s, Caymmi was inspired by Amado again. He wrote "Modinha para a Gabriela", a song based on Amado's book Gabriela, Cravo e Canela.

Perhaps their most famous song together is "É Doce Morrer no Mar" ("It's Sweet to Die in the Sea"). They wrote it one night over dinner at Amado's house. Other songs they wrote together include "Beijos pela Noite" and "Essa Nega Fulô".

Awards and Special Recognitions

In 1968, the governor of Bahia gave Caymmi a house in Salvador. This was to thank him for making Brazilian music famous worldwide. He lived in his hometown for a short time. In 1972, Caymmi received the Order of Merit of the State of Bahia. This award is for people who do great service for the state. Caymmi received it for bringing pride to Bahian people through his music.

On Caymmi's 70th birthday in 1984, the French Minister of Culture gave him an award in Paris. It was the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, which honors people who contribute to art and literature. The next year, a new street in Salvador was named Avenida Dorival Caymmi. In 1986, Rio de Janeiro's famous Mangueira samba school based its Carnaval performance on Caymmi's life. The school won the annual samba competition that year. In 2015, an album honoring him was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award.

His Life Outside Music

Even though Caymmi was famous for music, he also painted. From 1943 to 1945, he took drawing and painting classes in Rio de Janeiro. He continued to paint for the rest of his life.

He also practiced Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion. This religion involves belief in spirit-gods and special ceremonies. It was his father's religion. Caymmi became more involved in it as an adult when friends invited him to ceremonies.

Family Life

In 1939, he met singer Adelaide Tostes, known as Stella Maris, at Rádio Nacional. They married in 1940 and stayed together for 68 years until his death. They had three children: Nana, Dori, and Danilo. All three became musicians, following in their father's footsteps.

His Views on Society

Caymmi usually didn't put political messages in his songs. However, he often spoke about problems with the government. His close friend Jorge Amado had to leave Brazil for several years. This was because he spoke out against the military government at the time. In 1994, Caymmi said that being a citizen in Brazil felt like a joke.

His Passing

Dorival Caymmi passed away at age 94 on August 16, 2008. He died at his home in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. His granddaughter, Stella, who wrote a book about him, said he didn't know he had cancer. He didn't want to know about his illness. He faced each day calmly, and his family respected his wish.

Discography

Albums

Before 1988, all of Caymmi's albums were released as LP records. His last four albums were released as CDs.

Singles

All of Caymmi's singles were released as 78 rpm gramophone records.

Tributes

See also

In Spanish: Dorival Caymmi para niños