Grammy-winning Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes, who helped popularize bossa nova in the U.S. with his band Brasil ’66, has died, ABC Audio has confirmed. He was 83.
According to a family statement, Mendes died Sept. 5 in LA, surrounded by his wife and musical partner, Gracinha, and his children. For the last few months, Mendes had suffered health challenges due to the effects of long-term COVID-19, the family added. His last performances were in November 2023.
Mendes was a pianist, composer and arranger who brought Brazilian music to America, combining bossa nova, samba, jazz and pop, first as part of Antônio Carlos Jobim’s band and then with Brasil ’66. His big breakthrough came in 1968 when he and Brasil ’66 performed “The Look of Love” on the Oscars telecast. His version of the song, featuring vocals by Janis Hansen, was a top 10 hit.
One of Mendes’ biggest U.S. pop hits was his smash 1983 version of “Never Gonna Let You Go,” featuring singers Joe Pizzulo and Leeza Miller. It hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for four weeks.
Among Mendes’ other U.S. pop hits were covers of Little Anthony & the Imperials‘ “Goin’ Out of My Head,” Beatles songs like “The Fool on the Hill,” Simon & Garfunkel‘s “Scarborough Fair,” Buffalo Springfield‘s “For What It’s Worth,” and Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway‘s “Where Is the Love.”
In 2011, Mendes helped compose the soundtrack of the animated film Rio and was nominated for an Oscar for one of the movie’s songs, “Real in Rio.” His last studio album was 2002’s In the Key of Joy.
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