Altay Veloso recorded his first solo album in 1980, O Cantador. His compositions have been recorded by many artists and he has the reputation of writing easy commercial romantic tunes. Some examples are "Dito e Feito" (recorded by Roberto Carlos), "Nascido Em 22 De Abril" (Elba Ramalho), "O Amor Riu de Mim" (Fagner). His songs have also been recorded by the romantic pagode groups Só Pra Contrariar, Negritude Júnior, Soweto, and Exaltasamba, and the sertanejos Leandro e Leonardo, Daniel, and Roberta Miranda. Other artists like Zizi Possi and Alcione have also recorded his compositions. In 2000, Leny Andrade dedicated an entire album to his creations, presenting five of his unpublished songs, and representing a milestone in his career. Veloso had relative success with "África," in 1982, but his big break came in 1984 with "Entra e Sai de Amor." The song was recorded by Placa Luminosa and was chosen as the theme of TV Globo's soap opera Roque Santeiro. In 2000, he wrote an opera, Alabê de Jerusalém, blending Jewish, Christian, and African traditions, acknowledged by UNESCO as a positive cultural project for peace and non-violence. ~ Alvaro Neder