Vó Maria

Maria das Dores Santos, Grandma Maria. A witness to the birth of samba, she was the widow of Donga, the musician who composed the song known as the first samba recorded, "By telephone", from 1917. Born in Mendes, in the interior of the state of Rio, she was Donga's last wife, with whom he lived for 15 years. In their house, in Aldeia Campista, the weekly pagodas, including feijoadas and acarajés from Vó, received names such as Pixinguinha, João da Baiana, Martinho da Vila, Ney Lopes, Geraldo Babão, Clara Nunes. Vó Maria was also a samba dancer, but only at 89 did she play her first show. Three years later, she released her first CD.