Rita Lee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rita Lee | |
|---|---|
 Rita Lee Jones
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rita Lee Jones |
| Also known as | A Rainha do Rock (Queen of Rock) |
| Born | December 31, 1947 |
| Origin | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Genre(s) | Rock, MPB, Pop, Disco, Latin, Tropicalia |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, actress, author, TV host |
| Years active | 1966 – present |
| Label(s) | Polydor Records Philips Records Som Livre EMI Universal Music Abril Music |
| Associated acts | Os Mutantes, Gilberto Gil, Ronnie Von, Caetano Veloso, Tutti Frutti, Elis Regina, Roberto de Carvalho |
| Website | Official website |
Rita Lee Jones, now Rita Lee Jones Carvalho, known simply as Rita Lee, (born on December 31, 1947) is a Brazilian rock singer and composer. Lee continues to be a popular figure in Brazilian entertainment, where she is also known by being an animal rights activist and a vegetarian.
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[edit] Early life and career
Rita Lee was born in São Paulo, Brazil, to an North American father, a dentist, and a mother of Italian ancestry. She was educated in a French language school and became fluent in Spanish, French and Italian, as well as her native Portuguese and the English that her parents spoke at home.[1] She went to college, where she was a colleague of the popular actress Regina Duarte, but soon left for the musical career.
In 1966 Lee formed the band Os Mutantes with the brothers Arnaldo Baptista and Sérgio Dias. The band released five albums between 1968 and 1972. In that time, Lee had also released her first two solo works, although these records were produced with fellow members of Os Mutantes. When the band reformed in 2006, she refused to join and called it as an attempt of the two remaining members to "earn cash to pay for geriatry".[2]
[edit] Going solo
In late 1972, Rita Lee was fired of Os Mutantes (or decided to leave the band, according to guitarist Sérgio Dias) and started a solo career. Initially assembling a female duo with singer Lúcia Turnbull called Cilibrinas do Éden, after a short time the duo gave birth to the band Tutti Frutti, which eventually became Lee's backing band. In the late 70's, she started a partnership with her husband Roberto de Carvalho, with many subsequent albums being credited for the duo Lee/Carvalho.[3] Also in the late 70's, Lee was mentioned in the Caetano Veloso song Sampa.
[edit] Personal life
Rita Lee was married to fellow Mutante Arnaldo Baptista from 1971 to 1972. In 1976 fellow MPB singer Ney Matogrosso introduced her to guitarist Roberto de Carvalho, whom she later married. Lee has three sons with Carvalho, including guitar player Beto Lee, a member of her band. Rita Lee is also the namesake of Brazilian MPB singing star Maria Rita, daughter of friend Elis Regina.
[edit] Other activities
Besides her musical career, Rita Lee had a humor program called Radio Amador on Brazilian radio for nine months in 1986. That same year Lee wrote three children's books in and appeared in Brazilian movies and TV shows. In 1990 she started her own talk show, called TvLeeZão (a play on "televisão," the Portuguese word for television), on MTV Brasil. From 2002 to 2004 she hosted the Brazilian cable TV talk show Saia Justa. In 2005 she and her husband started a new talk show, called Madame Lee. She also made a brief cameo in the 2002 film Durval Discos.
[edit] Discography
[edit] With Os Mutantes
- 1968: Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses (Philips, 1968. Collective album with Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Tom Zé, Nara Leão and Gal Costa)
- 1968: Os Mutantes (Polydor, 1968)
- 1969: Mutantes (Polydor, 1969)
- 1970: A Divina Comédia ou Ando Meio Desligado (Polydor, 1970)
- 1971: Jardim Elétrico (Polydor, 1971)
- 1972: Mutantes e Seus Cometas no País do Baurets (Polydor, 1972)
- 2000: Tecnicolor (recorded in 1970) (Universal, 2000)
[edit] As a solo artist
- 1970: Build Up
- 1972: Hoje é o Primero Dia do Resto de Sua Vida
- 1974: Atrás do Porto Tem Uma Cidade
- 1975: Fruto Proibido
- 1975: Hollywood Rock (Live) (with Erasmo Carlos, Peso & Raul Seixas)
- 1976: Lá Vou Eu (Compacto Duplo)
- 1976: Entradas e Bandeiras
- 1977: Arrombou a Festa (Compacto Simples)
- 1977: Refestança (Live) (with Gilberto Gil)
- 1978: Babilônia
- 1979: Rita Lee (Mania de Você)
- 1980: Rita Lee (Lança Perfume)
- 1981: Saúde
- 1982: Rita Lee e Roberto de Carvalho (Flagra)
- 1983: Baila Conmigo (En Espanõl)
- 1983: Bombom
- 1983: Desculpe o Auê / Yoko Ono (Compacto Simples Em Espanhol)
- 1984: Rita Hits (Two Medleys Remixed Compilation)
- 1985: Rita e Roberto (Vírus do Amor)
- 1987: Flerte Fatal
- 1988: Zona Zen
- 1989: Pedro e o Lobo (spoken album as narrator to Peter and the Wolf)
- 1989: Dias Melhores Virão (soundtrack)
- 1990: Rita Lee e Roberto de Carvalho (Perto do Fogo)
- 1991: Rita Lee em Bossa 'n' Roll (Live)
- 1993: Rita Lee (Todas as Mulheres do Mundo)
- 1995: A Marca Da Zorra (Live)
- 1996: Tutu, O Menino Indio (spoken album as narrator)
- 1997: Santa Rita De Sampa
- 1998: Acústico MTV (Live) (MTV Unplugged)CD + DVD
- 2000: 3001
- 2000: Rita ReLEEda Remixes
- 2001: Aqui, Ali, Em Qualquer Lugar (Bossa'n Beatles)
- 2003: Balacobaco
- 2004: MTV Ao Vivo (MTV Live)CD + DVD
- 2005: DVD Rita Lee Jones Grandes Nomes
- 2007: BOX SET (3 DVDS) Biograffiti
