Biography

Roberto Ribeiro, a successful samba interpreter/composer and also a sambista of the Império Serrano samba school appeared in 1972 as the partner of Elza Soares in three singles recorded by her. In the same year it was launched the LP Elza Soares e Roberto Ribeiro. In 1975 Ribeiro had success with his recording for "Leonel/Leonor" (Wilson Moreira/Neizinho), in Sucessos 4 Sambas. Recorded in the same year, his LP Molejo also had hits with "Estrela de Madureira" (Acyr Pimentel/Cardoso) and "Proposta Amorosa" (Monarco). In 1976 he had two nationwide hits with "Tempo É" (Zé Luís/Nelson Rufino) and "Acreditar" (Ivone Lara/Délcio Carvalho), launched in Arrasta Povo, and in the next year he had another success by the duo with "Liberdade" (Ivone Lara/Délcio Carvalho), included in Poeira Pura. Other nationwide smashes came in 1978 with "Meu Drama" (Silas de Oliveira/J. Ilarindo; the song was adopted as the theme of the highly successful soap opera Pai Herói, TV Globo, and released as a record with the soundtrack), "Todo Menino é um Rei" (Zé Luís/Nelson Rufino), followed by "Amei Demais" (Flávio Moreira/Liette de Souza) and "Isso Não São Horas" (Catoni/Chiquinho/Xangô da Mangueira). In 1979 he had hits with "Vazio" (Nelson Rufino) and "Partilha" (Romildo/Sérgio Fonseca), from Coisas da Vida. Fala Meu Povo (1980) had some originals like "Vem", but the successful songs were "Só Chora Quem Ama" (Wilson Moreira/Nei Lopes) and "Quem Lucrou Fui Eu" (Monarco), while "Santa Clara Clareou" (Zé Baiano do Salgueiro) was the hit of Massa, Raça e Emoção (1981). In 1983 one of his compositions finally measured up to his success, "Algemas" (with Toninho Nascimento), included in Roberto Ribeiro. Sorri pra Vida (1987) had success with "Ingrata Paixão" (Mauro Diniz/Ratinho/Adilson Victor). ~ Alvaro Neder, Rovi