Biography

Linda Batista, born Florinda Grandino de Oliveira (June 14, 1919 – April 18, 1988) was a Brazilian popular musician.

Linda was born in São Paulo, the sister of Dircinha Batista. She studied violão (classical guitar) from age 12 under Patricio Teixeira. She was hired at Radio Cajuti (later Rádio Mundial) in Rio de Janeiro after substituting for her sister on composer Gastão Lamounier's show in 1932. By 1937 she had been named Brazil's Rainha do Rádio (Queen of Radio) in a contest voted on by listeners, a title first held by Carmen Miranda. Batista married and quickly divorced in the late 1930s. Her first recordings were released in 1938. Around this time she also began appearing in films such as Maridinho de Luxo and Banana da Terra.

She sang on Rádio Cultura Brasil [pt] in São Paulo and then appeared at Casino São Vicente on Ilha Porchat for six months. She returned to Rio de Janeiro in 1939 and was hired at the Cassino da Urca, singing with the Kolman Orchestra. She remained there until the casinos were closed in 1945 by state decree. She signed to Victor Records in 1940, and would record for the label until her retirement in 1960. Batista toured throughout Brazil in the early and mid-1940s, scoring many nationwide hits such as "Tudo é Brasil" (1941), "Batuque No Morro" (1941), "Clube Dos Barrigudos" (1944), "No Boteco Do José" (1946), "Enlouqueci" (1948), "Nega Maluca" (1950), and "Vingança" (1951).

Batista did extensive work for films throughout the 1950s. In 1951, she embarked on a tour of Portugal, France, and Italy. She toured Uruguay in 1957-58 and Argentina in 1959. She appeared in a variety show with Carlos Machado's orchestra at his Rio nightclub Night and Day in 1960, and retired from active performance that year. (Wikipedia)