Milton Nascimento

Milton Nascimento was born on October 26, 1942, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and raised in Três Pontas, Minas Gerais, by his adoptive parents. Immersed in the sacred choral music, Afro-Brazilian drums, and European liturgical chants of inland Minas Gerais, Nascimento developed an incomparable vocal range and distinctive compositional harmony. In 1967, his songs 'Travessia' and 'Morro Velho' won top prizes at the International Song Festival in Rio, instantly establishing him as a giant of Brazilian music.

In 1972, Nascimento and Lô Borges released 'Clube da Esquina' ('The Corner Club'), a monumental double album blending psychedelic rock, bossa nova, classical counterpoint, and folk. Today, it is universally regarded by music critics as one of the greatest Brazilian albums of all time. Nascimento's music transcended Brazil when jazz legend Wayne Shorter collaborated with him on the landmark 1974 Columbia album 'Native Dancer', introducing his celestial vocals to American audiences like Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, and Paul Simon. Over a legendary six-decade career, Nascimento released dozens of classic albums, won five Grammy Awards (including the 1998 Grammy for Best World Music Album), and was honoured with the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.