Los Indios Tabajaras

The Índios Tabajaras are a Brazilian Gitarristenduo, which had in the 1960s with the guitar instrumental María Elena a worldwide hit.

Band biography

The two brothers Muçaperê and Erundi, two sons of a great chief family, were among the Tabajara, a tribe of Native Americans who live near Carire in the state of Ceará in the north- east Brazil. In her youth she came to a guitar and brought up in itself, waiting to play their traditional music. They decided the 2000 km to travel across the country in the metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, to meet with their music to try their luck. In fact, they were discovered there by a theatrical agent, who managed and and from 1943 also gave them concert performances a record deal. They changed their name in common Brazilian name, but were known as the Índios Tabajaras.

For six years they toured South America. Then they went to Mexico, where they not only occurred a long time, but also a guitar teacher sought to perfect their guitar playing and to expand their repertoire and in the direction of classical music. In the 1950s appearances followed in North and South America, and a European tour.

End of the 50s, the two brothers also took on several albums in Mexico, some of which appeared on the small label Vox in the USA. Their single María Elena was true in 1958 still not a great success, but has sold steadily. The title was in 1933 composed by Mexicans Lorenzo Barcelata as a tribute to the former wife of the President Pontes Gil and 1941 already been sung in a big band version of Jimmy Dorsey a million seller and number - one hit in the United States. 1962, decided her label RCA, they stood at its Mexican subsidiary under contract to bring out their great instrumental guitar version in the USA. Surprisingly, the single was a great success, reaching the top 10 on the U.S. charts. The following release in Europe and other countries brought together a number of top 10 rankings among other things, in the UK and Australia again.

While Los Índios Tabajaras in most countries in the charts were a one- hit wonder, they were able to place in the United States and the eponymous album María Elena in the top 10 on the album charts and Always in My Heart they had a minor hit after.

In the late 1960s they moved from Brazil to the United States and until the 1980s they released more albums. Later, Antenor Lima retired from music. He is now deceased. Nato Lima published until the 2000s further music along with his Japanese wife Michiko, who is also a guitarist.

Band Members

  • Muçaperê / Musaperi, later Antenor Lima Moreyra
  • Erundi / Herundy, later Natalicio Moreyra Lima

Discography

Albums

  • Maria Elena (1963 )
  • Always in My Heart ( 1964)
  • Mellow Guitar Moods
  • The Many Splendored Guitars of Los Índios Tabajaras (1965 )
  • Beautiful Sounds ( 1981)
  • Born to Please ( 1991)
  • The Joy of playing (1992 )
  • Stars on the Ground ( 1993)
  • Notable Notes (1995 )

Singles

  • Maria Elena (1963 )
  • Always in My Heart ( 1964)
RCA Records One-Hit-Wonder
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