Joaquim Campos

Born in Lisbon, Joaquim Campos Silva, known as Joaquim Campos, was the son of Joaquim Maria da Silva and Maria Campos. At 12, he sang for the first time, in Setúbal, a Fado poem he had bought in kiosk in Rossio Square.

Upon completing 16 years of age, Joaquim Campos employed himself as clerk at the Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses.

Together with Alberto Costa, he founded the "Grémio Artístico Amigos do Fado".

Is debut appended in 1927 in “Cervejaria Boémia”. Also in 1927 newspaper “Guitarra de Portugal” announced: “He sang at a charity show on the 27 September 1927 (Sunday) at the premises of the CP Railway Orphanage, to the benefit of one poor proletarian who was pushed to disgrace by the vicissitudes of life, leaving behind many children without help ".

In December 1933 he lived with fado singer Rosa Maria.

He participated in a fado show at Forte de Monsanto in October 1934, «the first feast of the great series that his newspaper has undertaken to organise in prisons and hospitals », together with Maria Carmen, Rosa Maria, Júlio Proença, Joaquim Seabra, Júlio Correia and António Sobral (cf. Guitarra de Portugal, 14 November 1934)

Joaquim Campos participated in the feast-tribute paid to musicians Júlio Correia (Portuguese guitar) and António Sobral (Spanish guitar) on the 4 November 1934, on the initiative of a group of members of the Grémio Recreativo Amadores do Fado. (cf. “Guitarra de Portugal” de 14 November 1934).

He also sang at charity events, popular fado venues and bullfighting events. He participated with Maria do Carmo, Alberto Costa, Júlio Proença and Raul Seia in a successful tour to the Algarve. His fame and success opened the doors of all venues for him, namely Coliseu dos Recreios, Eden-Teatro, Maria Vitória, Apolo and other settings, namely fado houses “Solar da Alegria”, “Retiro da Severa”, “Café Luso” and “Café Mondego”.

At the time Joaquim Campos was considered one of the best voices in fado, but he was also a composer. Special reference should be made to his themes “Fado Vitória”, “Fado Tango” and “Fado Rosita”, among others.

He was the author of the music of the fado song “Povo que Lavas no Rio”, with lyrics by Pedro Homem de Mello, which was immortalised by Amália Rodrigues.

He died in 1981.

Source:

“Guitarra de Portugal”, 24 September 1927;

“Guitarra de Portugal” de 22 December 1933;

“Guitarra de Portugal” de 14 November 1934;

Machado, A. Victor (1937) “Ídolos do Fado”, Lisboa, Tipografia Gonçalves.