Alfredo Marceneiro

Alfredo Marceneiro was a Portuguese fado singer who was born in Lisbon in 1891. He was the son of a bookseller and a seamstress, and he started working as a bookbinder at the age of 13, after his father's death. He had a passion for music and theater, and he began singing fado in popular venues and cegadas (blindfolded plays) in his teens. He adopted the stage name of Marceneiro, which means carpenter, because he learned that trade from a friend. He became known for his unique voice and style of singing, which was influenced by his theatrical experience and his improvisation skills. He created his own repertoire of fados, some of which are considered classics, such as "Cabelo Branco é Saudade", "A Casa da Mariquinhas" and "O Marceneiro". He also collaborated with several poets and composers, such as João Linhares Barbosa, Pedro Homem de Mello and Frederico de Brito. He was regarded as one of the most influential and respected fado singers of all time, and he received several awards and honors, such as the Order of Infante D. Henrique and the Medal of Cultural Merit. He retired from singing in 1968, after a farewell concert at the Coliseu dos Recreios. He died in 1982, at the age of 91, and he is buried in the Cemetery of Prazeres in Lisbon.