Tony Campello

Tony Campelo was one of the first stars of Brazilian rock in the early '50s. He had considerable success, having co-hosted a TV show with his sister Celly Campelo and participated in the historic Jovem Guarda TV show. He continued to record as a vocalist while developing a career in production. He launched performers such as Sérgio Reis, Deny e Dino, and Silvinha. His biggest hits as a singer were "Canário" (Norman Luboff/Marilyn Keith/Alan Berman), "Boogie do Bebê" (J. Parker/Relin, both versions by Fred Jorge), and "Pertinho do Mar" (Sílvio Pereira de Araújo). His involvement in music began with the dance bands of his hometown, Taubaté SP. In the '50s he became a member of Mário Gennari Filho's group, contributing to his recordings. In 1957 his sister, Celly Campelo, was hired by Odeon, and in the next year they recorded their first single, with Celly performing "Handsome Boy" and Tony "Forgive Me" (both by Odeon's director Mário Gennari Filho and Celeste Novais). Celly's national hit "Estúpido Cupido" (1959) led to her own TV show at São Paulo's TV Record, Crush em Hi-Fi, co-hosted by Campelo. The show was seminal in the development of Brazilian rock. In the same year Campelo released his first LP, Tony Campelo (Odeon). He acted in the films Jeca Tatu in 1959 and Zé do Periquito (directed by Mazzaropi) in 1960. In 1961 and 1962 he won the Chico Viola trophy. In July 1962, the limited market for rock music in Brazil convinced several artists to produce romantic music, and Campelo was one of them, recording Italian songs for the album Não Te Esqueças de Mim. In 1963 and 1964 he toured Peru and Paraguay. In 1964 he had a success with "Uma Lágrima no Rosto," an adaptation by Fred Jorge of "Una Lacrima Sul Viso" (Bobby Solo). In the next year he began working as a producer. This was the same year the historic Jovem Guarda TV show was launched, and Campelo participated in it from its inception. In 1966, he produced the duo Deny e Dino, Suzy Darlen, and the future sertanejo idol Sérgio Reis, who started as a Jovem Guarda artist, but retained Campelo as producer for more than 25 years. In the '90s Campelo produced several albums by the Jet Blacks. ~ Alvaro Neder