Wikipedia:
Waldir Azevedo (* January 27, 1923 in Rio de Janeiro; † September 21, 1980 in São Paulo) was a Brazilian composer and the world's most famous virtuoso on the cavaquinho.
Waldir Azevedo grew up in the Piedade district of Rio de Janeiro and learned the instruments flute, guitar, mandolin and cavaquinho at a young age. On his 22nd birthday he married Olinda Barbosa. Waldir Azevedo first worked as a clerk, but gave this up in 1945 to become a professional musician and dedicate himself entirely to the cavaquinho.
In 1948, Waldir Azevedo signed a contract with the Brazilian record company ''Discos Continental''. At the end of 1949, his first record was released with the composition ''Brasileirinho'', which became a worldwide success. Along with ''Brasileirinho'', ''Delicado'' and ''Pedacinhos do Céu'' are among his greatest successes. In the following years Waldir Azevedo undertook very successful concert tours through many countries around the globe.
In 1971, he moved to Brasília and lived there until the end of his life. Azevedo died at the age of 57 in São Paulo as a result of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. His work includes a total of about 160 compositions for cavaquinho and more than 70 recordings.
Note: Translated from a German version of Wikipedia into English.
