Amalia Rodrigues

Busto Amalia Rodrigues

Known as the "Rainha do Fado" ("Queen of Fado"), Amália Rodrigues (1920-1999) was instrumental in popularizing the fado worldwide and travelled internationally throughout her career. She became one of the most important figures during the genre's revival in the twentieth century and was a leading female fadista during her extended recording and stage career. "If I sing like I sing, it is because of nature", Amália once said. Her genius was so evident that she overcame poverty and discrimination and became an icon of her country. It has been said that Amália expressed the soul of Portugal. This may be true, but it is equally true that, like all great artists, she expressed the soul of humanity. Wherever she sang, even if the public didn't understand the words, her voice was enough to break all the barriers. With her, an internationally unknown popular music like Portuguese fado became a medium of universal expression known everywhere. For more than half a century, Amália

was the voice of this peculiar sadness, the greatest of all fado singers, or as they are called in Portugal, of all the cantadeiras. This release presents in its entirety what is widely regarded as Amália's best and most iconic LP. It was originally issued by Columbia in 1962 with only her name on the front cover. However, it is also known as "Busto" because of the sculpture on the cover. The current edition also contains six bonus tracks consisting of some of Amália's greatest hits.

AMÁLIA RODRIGUES, vocals

JOSÉ NUNES, Portuguese guitar

CASTRO MOTA, Spanish classical guitar

ALAIN OULMAN, piano (on A1-A2 only)

Recorded by Hugo Ribeiro at Teatro Taborda, Lisbon,

Portugal, 1962. Originally issued as Columbia SX-1440.