Rita Lee Jones, the Brazilian Queen of Rock, died at the age of 75 on Monday, May 8. At the time of her death, she was married to guitarist Roberto de Carvalho.
Rita rose to international prominence and popularity as a result of her vibrant and genuine singing style. She has given music fans songs such as Now Only Missing You, Mania de Você, and Ovelha Negra. On Monday evening, the iconic singer died at her home in So Paulo.
The announcement was made in a message posted on Rita’s official Instagram account on Tuesday, May 9. Her career spanned six decades, and her inventiveness and compositions with significant themes that helped expose Brazilians to feminism left an indelible mark. She also openly discussed her personal drug addiction difficulties via her songs.
Rita married Mutante Arnaldo Baptista for the first time in 1968 and divorced in 1972. In 1976, she met her current husband Roberto through MPB singer Ney Matogrosso. Ritaa and Roberto have three children: Antônio Lee, Joo Lee, and Beto Lee.
In 2021, Rita Lee was diagnosed with a lung tumor
Since 2021, the Brazilian Queen of Rock has apparently been battling a lung malignancy. She was admitted to the hospital at the start of 2023 due to problems with her therapy. Her husband, Roberto, updated Rita’s fans on her condition. Rita Lee and Roberto seemed to have a tight, caring, and affectionate relationship.
Rita and the musician both routinely shared images of their wives on their Instagram accounts. The couple’s oldest son, Beto Lee, is also a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He presently plays in the band Tits. Beto is a Galaxy co-founder who has recorded two solo albums, one of which garnered him a Latin Grammy Award.
Joo Lee, Rita, and Roberto’s middle son, is also in the music business and works as a DJ and producer. Their 42-year-old son, Antônio Lee, is a visual artist. Despite the fact that Rita Lee considered her own voice to be somewhat out of tune and weak, she rewarded her admirers with a string of top-selling records. Several of Rita’s songs have appeared in popular Latin American telenovelas. The Behemoth Television Network Globo utilized her interpretation of the song Poison Weed in three of its shows.
In an interview with Rolling Stone Brazil in 2008, the singer stated:
“I was not born to marry and to clean underwear.” I wanted the same freedom as the lads who used to play with their toy cars in the street. When I first started listening to music, I noticed that “machos” dominated, particularly in rock music. ‘Wow,’ I thought, ‘here is where I’m going to let my fangs out and give them a hard time.'”
Rita Lee’s adaptability was lauded. She could play the piano, drums, guitar, autoharp, and harmonica, among other instruments. She was also one of the first Brazilian musicians to use an electric guitar. Her popularity as a singer and composer eventually extended beyond Brazil.
Rita Lee has appeared throughout Europe, including England, Spain, Germany, Portugal, and France. The British publication Daily Mirror claimed in 1988 that Prince Charles liked Rita’s song Lança Perfume and regarded her as one of his favorite singers.
Rita Lee also won a Latin Grammy for Best Portuguese Language Album in 2001 for her album 3001. Her husband, Roberto de Carvalho, and she had a 44-year musical relationship. In 2021, they also released a new song called Change, as well as a remix of some of Rita’s best songs.
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