Guto Graça Mello, a major figure in Brazilian popular music and television, died this Tuesday (5) in Rio de Janeiro at age 78 after spending more than a month hospitalized at Barra D’Or Hospital, in Barra da Tijuca. Over five decades, the music producer and director contributed to more than 500 albums, worked with artists including João Gilberto, Tom Jobim, Roberto Carlos, Maria Bethânia, Xuxa and Father Marcelo Rossi, and left his mark on soundtracks for TV Globo soap operas and programs, including the opening theme of Fantástico. The information was published by the newspaper O Globo.
Augusto César Graça Mello, nationally known as Guto Graça Mello, suffered cardiac arrest, according to family members. He is survived by his widow, actress Silvia Massari, two daughters and two stepchildren. The son of actors Stella Graça Mello and Octávio Graça Mello, he was born on April 29, 1948, and built a career closely tied to Brazilian popular music, the recording industry and television drama.
Guto began composing in 1960. Later, he abandoned his architecture studies at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro to pursue music. Together with Mariozinho Rocha, he wrote songs recorded by performers such as Elis Regina and Nara Leão. Before establishing himself on television, he lived abroad and was part of the group Vox Populi.
He joined Globo in 1972, taking over music production for Viva Marília, hosted by Marília Pêra. The following year, he composed his first soap opera soundtrack, for Cavalo de Aço, in partnership with Nelson Motta. From then on, he played a central role in shaping the sound of some of the network’s best-known productions.
At Som Livre, the record label associated with TV Globo, Guto Graça Mello worked on soundtracks for soap operas such as Gabriela, Pecado Capital, Saramandaia and Estúpido Cupido. For Gabriela, he commissioned the opening theme from Dorival Caymmi and included Alegre Menina, a Dori Caymmi song based on a poem by Jorge Amado. The song became one of Djavan’s first hits.
His work on Pecado Capital in 1975 became one of the most memorable episodes of his career. Guto commissioned Paulinho da Viola to compose the soap opera’s theme song, which took shape within hours and immortalized the line “dinheiro na mão é vendaval” (“money in your hand is a whirlwind”). In an interview with O GLOBO in 2024, the producer recalled the creative process.
“I called Paulinho and said, ‘Look, I want you to do the opening theme for the soap opera.’ And he said, ‘Great, when do you need it?’ I said, ‘Today!’ He was startled and said composing took him a long time, but we sat together and I told him the ending Janete Clair had imagined (which ultimately was filmed, with Francisco Cuoco’s character Carlão hit by a bullet and money flying out of his briefcase). Paulinho looked at me and said, ‘Dinheiro na mão é vendaval, né?’ Then he composed the whole thing, melody and lyrics, right in front of me, and afterward went home,” Guto said.
Graça Mello was also involved in decisive moments at Som Livre. Alongside João Araújo, then the label’s president, he was one of those who advocated recording an album by Barão Vermelho, the band led by Cazuza, Araújo’s son. The producer was also given the task of turning Xuxa into a singer at the beginning of the television presenter’s career at Globo.
In another interview in 2024, Guto recalled the initial difficulty of putting together the artist’s repertoire.
“She came from Manchete, and Globo signed a contract that included an album as well as the TV show. But when she came to a meeting at Som Livre with her boyfriend, Pelé, she said, ‘I can’t sing a thing!’ João Araújo told me, ‘Figure it out!’ and I started to panic. I asked artists for songs and nobody wanted to give me any…,” he said.
The solution was Quem qué pão, a children’s song composed by Aretuza Garibaldi, then the record label’s press officer. It became Xuxa’s first hit in 1986 and paved the way for one of Brazil’s biggest recording careers aimed at children.
Guto Graça Mello left his posts as music director at Globo and Som Livre in 1989. He remained active in other areas of music creation. Beyond television and albums, he composed soundtracks for more than 30 films, including O beijo no asfalto (1981), O Cangaceiro Trapalhão (1983), Cazuza – O tempo não para (2004) and Se eu fosse você (2006).
Throughout his career, Guto occupied a rare place in Brazilian culture: he served as a bridge between composers, performers, soap operas, cinema, television and the recording business. His work helped shape the sound of several generations and left recordings that remain associated with defining moments in Brazilian popular music and television drama.
Source: brasil247.com
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