The singer Erasmo Carlos, composer of classic songs, most of them written with his partner Roberto Carlos, and one of the greatest names in the history of Brazilian pop music, died this Tuesday at the age of 81. The death was confirmed by the record label Som Livre, on its social media profile, but the cause was not informed. He was admitted to a hospital in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro.
Erasmo's first —and greatest— musical passion was rock'n'roll. Obsessed since his teenage years with the "wild" rhythm of Elvis Presley and Little Richard, he was one of the greatest symbols of Brazilian rock, a star who embodied the image of the rebel and sang about red cars, hot girls, and his own reputation as a bad boy.
But Erasmo was much more than just that. Rock’n’roll, in fact, represented a short phase in his career. He soon freed himself from the creative shackles of Jovem Guarda ( the Brazilian rock'n'roll movement of the 60s and 70s) and established himself as one of the greatest composers of Brazilian pop and romantic music, especially due to the hundreds of songs written in partnership with Roberto Carlos.
Erasmo leaves a huge legacy to the music and popular culture of Brazil. For over six decades, he was part of our daily lives, on TV, radio, and on records. His art reflects the nickname given to him, in the 1970s, by his friend Lucinha Turnbull: "the Gentle Giant".
Erasmo was a big, heavyset man, and his rocker look gave him, at first glance, the impression of a tough, menacing fellow. But it was just a façade: the truth is that his songs were packed with sweetness and sensitivity and, therefore, crossed generations.
Translated by Cassy Dias