Sérgio Mendes dead at 83: Brazilian musician made history with decades-long career

Beloved musician Sérgio Mendes has died at 83 years old as he is remembered as one of the most internationally successful Brazilian artists of all time.

The famed artist died in Los Angeles, California according to reports by TMZ , with his cause of death not yet revealed. Sérgio is survived by his wife singer Gracinha Leporace as well as his five children.

During his remarkable life, Sérgio was known for his worldwide chart-topping jazz hits by his band Brasil '66. During his over 60 years in the industry, he had recorded over 35 albums and was well-known for playing bossa nova, often crossed with funk. Some of his most well-known songs include Mas Que Nada, Never Gonna Let You Go, Fool on the Hill, Like a Lover, among many others.

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During his decades-long career, Sérgio was awarded with a number of prestigious awards for his work including an Oscar award for Best World Music Album in 1993. As for the Latin Grammy Awards, Sérgio was the recipient of both the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 as well as the Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album in 2010.

Brasil 66's LP became a global success and shot the band up to stardom. The original lineup of Brasil '66 included Sérgio on the piano, vocalists Lani Hall and Sylvia Dulce Kleiner, Bob Matthews on bass, José Soares on percussion, and João Palma on the drums. The track Mas Que Nada on the album written by Jorge Ben made history as it was the first song sung entirely in Portuguese to reach the top 5 on the Billboard magazine pop chart in the US.

In 2020, Sérgio's life was turned into a documentary musical titled Sergio Mendes in the Key of Joy! directed by John Scheinfeld. The film chronicles Sérgio's fascinating journey in the music industry from his early days as pianist on the Brazilian bossa nova scene, to his years in Los Angeles, and his comeback to the top of the charts after his collaborations with The Black Eyed Peas and John Legend.

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