"Elis"- The Hurricane they called her. "Furacao Elis", and "Pimentinha" (little pepper because of her boundless energy. Elis Regina was Brazil's biggest star. A combination Edith Piaf/ Billie Holiday kind of thing. She was born of poor parents in Porte Alegre, Brazil on March 17, 1945 and died at the tender age of 37 from a bad night with too much Cinzano and way too much cocaine. I always carry her music on the road. I don't understand Portuguese but I understand everything when Elis sings. My absolutely most favored artist. I regret we never met but not a week goes by that I don't need an Elis musical fix. She was the voice of the Bossa Nova in the most musical country in the world!
