Rita Lee Jones , now Rita Lee Jones Carvalho , known simply as Rita Lee , (born on December 31, 1947) is a Brazilian rock singer and composer. Lee continues to be a popular figure in Brazilian entertainment, where she is also known for being an animal rights activist and a vegetarian.

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Early life and career

Rita Lee was born in São Paulo, Brazil, to a North American father, a dentist, and a mother of Italian ancestry. She was educated in a French language school and became fluent in Spanish, French and Italian, as well as her native Portuguese and the English that her parents spoke at home. ^[1] She went to college, where she was a colleague of the popular actress Regina Duarte, but soon left to pursue her musical career.

In 1966 Lee formed the band Os Mutantes with Arnaldo Baptista and Sérgio Dias. The band released five albums between 1968 and 1972. In that time, Lee had also released her first two solo works, although these records were produced with fellow members of Os Mutantes. When the band reformed in 2006, she refused to join and called it as an attempt of the two remaining members to "earn cash to pay for geriatry". ^[2]

Going solo

In late 1972, Rita Lee was fired from Os Mutantes (or she decided to leave the band, according to guitarist Sérgio Dias) and started a solo career. Initially assembling a female duo with singer Lúcia Turnbull called Cilibrinas do Éden , after a short time the duo gave birth to the band Tutti Frutti , which eventually became Lee's backing band. In the late 1970s, Lee started a partnership with her husband, Roberto de Carvalho, and many subsequent albums were credited to the duo Lee/Carvalho. ^[3] In the late 70s, Lee was mentioned in the Caetano Veloso song Sampa .

Personal life

Rita Lee was married to fellow Mutante Arnaldo Baptista from 1971 to 1972. In 1976 fellow MPB singer Ney Matogrosso introduced her to guitarist Roberto de Carvalho, whom she later married. Lee has three sons with Carvalho, including guitar player Beto Lee, a member of her band. Rita Lee is also the namesake of Brazilian MPB singing star Maria Rita, daughter of friend Elis Regina.

Other activities

Aside from her musical career, Rita Lee had a humor program called Radio Amador on Brazilian radio for nine months in 1986. That same year Lee wrote three children's books and appeared in Brazilian movies and TV shows. In 1990 she started her own talk show, called TvLeeZão (a play on "televisão," the Portuguese word for television), on MTV Brasil. From 2002 to 2004 she hosted the Brazilian cable TV talk show Saia Justa . In 2005 she and her husband started a new talk show, called Madame Lee . She also made a brief cameo in the 2002 film Durval Discos. In 2008/2009 she's on the road again with 'Pic Nic Tour'.

Discography

With Os Mutantes

• 1972: Mutantes e Seus Cometas no País do Baurets (Polydor, 1972)
• 1971: Jardim Elétrico (Polydor, 1971)
• 1971: Tecnicolor (abandoned, released 29 years later) (Universal, 2000)
• 1970: A Divina Comédia ou Ando Meio Desligado (Polydor, 1970)
• 1969: Mutantes (Polydor, 1969)
• 1968: Os Mutantes (Polydor, 1968)
• 1968: Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses (Philips, 1968. Collective album with Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Tom Zé, Nara Leão and Gal Costa)

Solo albums

• 2003: Balacobaco
• 2001: Aqui, Ali, Em Qualquer Lugar (aka Bossa'n Beatles )
• 2000: Rita ReLEEda (remixes)
• 2000: 3001
• 1997: Santa Rita De Sampa
• 1993: Rita Lee
• 1990: Rita Lee e Roberto de Carvalho
• 1989: Dias Melhores Virão (soundtrack)
• 1988: Zona Zen
• 1987: Flerte Fatal
• 1985: Rita e Roberto
• 1984: Rita Hits (two medleys remixed compilation)
• 1983: Bombom
• 1983: Baila Conmigo (in Spanish)
• 1982: Rita Lee e Roberto de Carvalho
• 1981: Saúde
• 1980: Rita Lee
• 1979: Rita Lee
• 1978: Babilônia
• 1976: Entradas e Bandeiras
• 1975: Fruto Proibido
• 1974: Atrás do Porto Tem Uma Cidade
• 1972: Hoje é o Primero Dia do Resto da Sua Vida
• 1970: Build Up

Live albums

• 2009: Multishow Ao Vivo Rita Lee
• 2004: MTV Ao Vivo (MTV Live )
• 1998: Acústico MTV (MTV Unplugged )
• 1995: A Marca Da Zorra
• 1991: Rita Lee em Bossa 'n' Roll
• 1977: Refestança (with Gilberto Gil)
• 1975: Hollywood Rock (with Erasmo Carlos, Peso & Raul Seixas)

Singles/EPs

• 1983: Desculpe o Auê / Yoko Ono (Single in Spanish)
• 1977: Arrombou a Festa (Single)
• 1976: Lá Vou Eu (EP)

Spoken albums

• 1996: Tutu, O Menino Indio (spoken album as narrator)
• 1989: Pedro e o Lobo (spoken album as narrator to Peter and the Wolf )

DVDs

• 2009: Multishow Ao Vivo Rita Lee
• 2007: Biograffiti (Box Set 3 DVDs)
• 2006: Grandes Nomes: Rita Lee Jones (Original Tv Special From 1980)
• 2004: MTV Ao Vivo (MTV Live )
• 1998: Acústico MTV (Live) (MTV Unplugged )

References

1. ritalee.com.br. Biographaphy (Portuguese). http://www.ritalee.com.br/biografia.html
2. Marcelo Feitosa. Rita Lee critica a volta dos Mutantes (Portuguese). http://houseofprog.wordpress.com/2006/07/14/rita-lee-critica-a-volta-dos-mutantes
3. Clique Music. Biografia (Portuguese). http://cliquemusic.uol.com.br/artistas/rita-lee.asp