José Ricardo, a successful jovem guarda interpreter who also recorded bossa nova and carnival music (for which he was much maligned), started while still a kid at Rádio Guanabara, switching later to Rádio Mauá. In 1958, he achieved the third place at César de Alencar's show A Voz de Ouro A.B.C., on Rádio Nacional, Clara Nunes having earned second place. In 1962, he was hired by RCA Victor, where he remained for ten years. His first LP, Eu Que Amo Somente a Ti (1963), had hits with the title song written by Sergio Endrigo and the bolero "O Travesseiro" (José Messias). In that year, he was appointed the Revelation of the Year by the Revista do Rádio (Radio Magazine). In the next year, Ricardo had other successes with "Somente Uma Saudade" and "Canção da Serra" (Evaldo Gouveia/Jair Amorim). Ricardo was the first jovem guarda singer to record bossa nova songs, on the LP Para Viver um Grande Amor (with Marília Barbosa), with compositions by Vinícius de Moraes, Carlos Lyra, and Tom Jobim. Other hits of his are "Cantiga Por Luciana" (Edmundo Souto/Paulinho Tapajós); "Gina"; "O Homem Que Não Sabia Amar" and "Quando Digo Que Te Amo" (his versions of two jovem guarda hits); "Meu Primeiro Amor" (Cascatinha e Inhana); "Eu Te Amo"; "Eterna Paixão"; "São Coisas da Vida" (Raul Seixas); and "Poxa" (Gilson de Souza). In 1987, Ricardo performed in the U.S. (Miami, Philadelphia, Washington, New Jersey, and New York), Canada, and Israel. Ricardo also was a member of the cast of Rádio Nacional and worked for three years for TV Record (São Paulo), participating in the shows Corte-Rayol Show, Esta Noite Se Improvisa, O Fino da Bossa, and Jovem Guarda. ~ Alvaro Neder