Waldick Soriano

Waldick Soriano was very popular in an extremely bad-tasting formula called cafona in Brazil, which later would continue as the brega style. A synthesis of Bienvenido Granda, Anísio Silva, Nelson Gonçalves, Orlando Dias, and others, he became inspired by the film Durango Kid, and began dressing in cowboy outfits, forging his own style. Having recorded 83 albums, he also acted in the films Paixão de um Homem (after his biggest hit, a homonymous bolero) in 1972 and O Poderoso Garanhão in 1973.

He worked in the Bahian hinterlands until he was 25 years old as a truck driver, manual worker, and prospector. In 1959 he moved to São Paulo and had an opportunity at Rádio Nacional through artistic director Hélio Araújo, whom Soriano had met at the company's door. Araújo, also at that time the director of the Chantecler recording company, gave him the opportunity to record his song "Quem és Tu." Specializing in a repertory based on deeply dramatic, suffering songs, a style called dor-de-cotovelo, he recorded the LP Quem és Tu? in 1960 through Chantecler, which was followed by Waldick Soriano in 1961. The latter featured one of his greatest hits, "Tortura de Amor." In the next year he recorded Cantor Apaixonado, with the hit "Se eu Morresse Amanhã." With 1964's O Elegante Waldick Soriano, he had the hits "A Carta" and "Eu Vou ao Casamento Dela." Como Você Mudou Pra Mim (1965) had "Mundo Cruel." In 1967, he recorded Waldick Sempre Waldick (Copacabana), which featured "Minha Última Noite." In the same year he recorded an LP devoted to boleros, Boleros Para Ouvir, Amar e Sonhar, which had "Meu Coração Está de Luto." Waldick (1968) had "Me Deixa em Paz." No Coração do Povo (1970) had "Carta de Amor." In 1972, RCA released Eu Também Sou Gente and Ele Também Precisa de Carinho, which had the big hit "Eu Não Sou Cachorro Não," and, in 1974, Segue o Teu Caminho. He also recorded several other albums, including Waldick Soriano Interpreta Bienvenido Granda, Rosas Perfumadas Para Alguém, and Waldick Soriano e Seus Amigos (1998, Indie Records).