https://www.discogs.com/release/3358469-Amália-Rodrigues-Amália-Rodrigues
During these years I finally had a steady job, and I had nice colleagues. One of them let me listen to this, Portuguese fado. I later found out the tape I got was from Misia, but it is never bad to start with fado listening to the Queen of fado: Amália Rodrigues.
Amália’s was born into poverty around 1915, near Lisbon. Trying to make a bit of money selling fruits along the quay of Lisbon, she started singing at around 1935. She was discovered in 1940, and by the time the fifties arrived she already was an established name in the country.
I once saw the biopic about Edith Piaf, and the stories of both ladies are very much alike. Both have a talent that was bigger than anything around them, and could not be put down, no matter the bad things that befell them. They were bigger than life. Amália remains the biggest selling Portuguese artist ever.
This is a record with many of her classics, starting off with what is probably the best known. A pity I cannot find it on Spotify, but it must be easy to find another good one from her.