Raimundo Soldado – The greatest musician in Maranhão

One day, a city in Maranhão woke up at dawn to the voice of musician and composer Raimundo Soldado. Santa Inez was honored to have a great lyricist in popular music. Santa Inez is located in the northeast region of the State of Maranhão. The virgin and martyr Santa Inez transformed the dream of poor boy Raimundo Soldado. Saint Inez for being pure. She belonged to a Roman family and, according to the customs of her time, was cared for by a nanny who would only leave her after marriage. However, Santa Inez sacrificed her life at the age of thirteen, during the undue persecutions of the VI century, for not denying Christ, she died on January 21st.

Thus, today we have the city of Santa Inez, which bears the name of the pure and venerated saint, it was exactly in this city where the boy Raimundo Teles Carvalho was born on August 31, 1946. From a poor family, he was unable to study or win a scholarship of studies by politicians, despite numerous requests.

It is known that Raimundo liked to sing for his friends at the Santa Inez Bus Station and other greengrocers in the municipal central market, where he obtained a strong rise in the direction of music. However, his father had forbidden Raimundo to be a musician. Being of military service age, Raimundo went to serve the army, being warned by his father to be engaged in the army as a soldier and to have a monthly income. With no other conditions, Raimundo accepted, being known wherever he was as Raimundo Soldado.

Fleeing from the army and family, Raimundo Soldado was in some cities in Maranhão, and was arrested in the State of Piauí, for being a fugitive from the army and not carrying documents. Even with that, he couldn't stop his voice, because the joy of the city of Santa Inez was prestige wherever the young Raimundo Soldado passed. Being expelled from the army, Raimundo Soldado was a hit on local radio stations in Maranhão and Piauí.

Despite having achieved national renown and singing in several Brazilian states. It was in the State of Piaui, where Raimundo Soldado obtained a living glory in the beats and rhythms created by the marenense pop and brega. Notably, the guitars rocked in the songs “A Festa vaiestar”. "Do You like me". For example, his songs could be heard from kilometers away, since the best drummer in Brazil was in his band, playing a fast and invoked game for listeners and dancers.

At this stage, Raimundo Soldado's songs were played in the halls in various rhythms with pure choreography, which differentiates from the current updated world of bands. In this repercussion of music, Filhos de Raimundo Soldado remained, recalling the magical successes of their father.

Only the State of Piauí recognized the value of the musician, giving the capital a square and a street named after the musician Praça Raimundo Soldado and Rua Raimundo Soldado.

His first album (Raimundo Soldado e o Conjunto Grupo de Ouro – with the song Abraçando Você) achieved considerable success in the 1980s with the title track and also with the song "You like me" and "No way that goes around ".

Raimundo Soldado considered a "cheesy" singer, his songs initially had a romantic theme, in a musical style that mixed the aesthetics of "pop" music in force at the time with typical styles from Pará and Maranhão, such as Carimbó. His following albums also adopted forró influence. For the Copacabana label, he released six vinyl records.

On CD, "Minha Santa Inês" and "Só as Antigas" were released, the latter including versions with more modern arrangements for many of his first themes. The song "No way to give it a way" was included in the soundtrack of the movie "At play in the fields of the lord", in 1991. . In 2000, EMI released a CD with twenty compositions of his own, within the "Raízes do Nordeste" series.

This man from Maranhão performed a great fusion with music from the northeast and pop-style music with simple arrangements.

In 1980, Raimundo Soldado released his first album on EMI, with several compositions of his own, including "Linda Girl" and "White Sanfona" and "I was so sad" in partnership with Zequinha. In 1981, he released his second album, still on EMI, with songs of his own, such as "Mulher proud", "Conquistando o mundo" and "My girl". In 1983 he released a new LP, with, among others, "Malena" and "Esqueça". In 1985 he recorded "Lambada nº 4" and "Forró da prainha", on his fourth album by EMI. In 1987, he recorded, among others, "Forró no Piauí", "Eu Quero Você" and "Vontade Louca", all of his authorship.

Raimundo Soldado, is the greatest guardian of Northeastern music in its other themes, having achieved success, and one of his dreams was to reach the United States with his hit songs.

Wisely, parties attended by Raimundo Soldado were crowded everywhere. But, one day, Raimundo Soldado, aged 55, left music forever on September 17, 2001, in the city of Timon-MA, caused by meningitis. Raimundo Soldado died poor, without having a penny in his pocket, some people commented that Raimundo Soldado spent several days going to Teresina for a consultation, but no doctor discovered the disease, after his death it was confirmed.

It is painful to know that the greatest musician in Maranhão does not have a street or a square named after Raimundo Soldado, despite the fact that he loved Maranhão and its city of Santa Inez, became famous and sang his melodies all over the world.