"Recordação Para Os Amigos"

Born on August 26, 1943 in the Parish of São Mateus on the Island Terceira in the Azores, Avelino Teixeira revealed his musical talents from a very early age. As a child he would sing for family and friends, but it was the world of radio that saw his debut in the broader arena of the general public.

In 1963, he was launched in the program "Panorama" transmitted by the Radio Clube de Angra, where he was interviewed by Jose Joao, this in a time when recordings were still made on bobbin tape recorders. Some time after his introduction on radio as a young up and coming singer, Avelino joined the group "Insular" with whom he performed live and on television for the American Armed Forces stationed at the Lajes Military Base.

In 1965, he left his island home for the exotic lands of East Timor, where was to serve as a soldier till 1967. Upon returning to Terceira he then joined the Grupo de Baile da Canção Regional Terceirense where, as lead vocalist, he sang the traditional folk music of his native Terceira.

The year 1968 saw Avelino Teixeira singing the official St. John Fiesta march in the town of Angra do Heroísmo, capital of the Island of Terceira. The march was titled "Angra Pequenina", theme that he was, in later years, to include in his "Voltei" album. He did not however, limit his talents to music alone, having ventured on several occasions into the world of theatre. He was part of the cast in several productions of the traditional Portuguese theatre genre, Teatro da Revista (Revue) staged by the Sociedade Recreio dos Artistas.

In 1969, in the age of vinyl recordings, he launched two albums with Antonina Lobão, produced by the Lisbon based record label "Tagus". In these, Avelino performed several traditional folksongs from his native Terceira, accompanied by Laureano Correia on the Portuguese guitar and Norberto Bettencourt on the acoustic guitar. These themes have been included in a more recent collection of Azorean folk music, "Colectânea de Folclore Açoreano", produced by the Lisbon label, "Movie Play".

In the years 1970 and 1971, he ventured once more into the world of radio, this time as a broadcaster for the Radio Clube de Angra, when, in 1972, the opportunity arose to emigrate to Canada and work with Jose Rafael in the Rádio Clube Português in Oakville. Later, he collaborated for a briefly on Programa 81 produced by the Rev. Alberto Cunha, and which was transmitted on FM 108 from Burlington.

Avelino Teixeira took part in some the very first TV programs produced by Frank Alvarez, the well-known Torontonian media entrepreneur. He also performed live, accompanied on the Portuguese guitar by Mariano Rego, at the Imperio Restaurant, of which Frank Alvarez was then the owner. He was also one of the founders of the Festa Natalícia (Christmas Fiesta) and the Annual CHIN Picnic.

Later, he helped liven the evenings at the old Vasco da Gama Restaurant on College and Delaware and recorded a single with Leomer Lapa, Mariano Rego and Pedro Alegre, the proceeds of which were donated to the Senhor Santo Cristo Chapel.

One day, Maestro António Amaro, one of the best exponents of the Portuguese guitar in the community, invited Avelino to take part in fado nights in and around Toronto and in other Canadian cities such as Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa and in Florida, USA, where Avelino delighted Portuguese audiences with fado and popular Portuguese music.

In the four years he performed with the group "Insular", this artist exhibited his musical talents on the stages of the many clubs and associations that are such a part of Portuguese community life in Toronto.

A phase entirely dedicated to Lisbon and Coimbra fado ensued. Avelino then launched, in 1995, his first CD titled "Recordações para os Amigos" a mix of these two music genres and romantic ballads. In 1999 he returned with the album "Voltei", in cassette and CD, in a Hernâni Raposo production that he dedicated to his late friend, Carlos Gaspar.

Since then Avelino has come to lend his melodious voice and collaboration to several compilations featuring Torontonian Portuguese community artists, such as, among many others, the "Moda Regional Terceirense" collection, a work by Manuel Tomas, a well-known desafio singer greatly appreciated locally.

Avelino Teixeira has, throughout the years, made a most valuable contribution to our community cultural arena in our city, not only as a musical performer, but also as the caring human being he his, who greets all and sundry with an open spirit and ready smile.

English text by Adiaspora.com

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