Elis

"Elis" The Hurricane they called her. "Furacao Elis" and "Pimentinha" (little pepper because of her boundless energy. Elis Regina was Brazil's biggest star. A combination Edith Piaf/ Billie Holiday kind of thing. She was born of poor parents in Porte Alegre, Brazil on March 17, 1945 and died at the tender age of 37 from a bad night with too much Cinzano and way too much cocaine. I always carry her music on the road. I don't understand Portuguese but I understand everything when Elis sings. My absolutely most favored artist. I regret we never met but not a week goes by that I don't need an Elis musical fix. She was the voice of the Bossa Nova in the most musical country in the world!

For more information on this great artist go to www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Beach/7020/
and download the book written by Regina Echeverria & translated and edited by Robert St-Louis, called "Furacao Elis". It is free! And good!