Biography
Who is Toquinho?
Early life and real name
Antônio Pecci, widely recognized by his artistic nickname Toquinho, was born on July 6, 1946, in São Paulo, Brazil. His parents were Diva Bondioli and Antônio Pecci, and he grew up with one brother named João Carlos Pecci. His family background includes Italian ancestry, with his grandparents originating from regions such as Toro, Molise, Calabria, and Mantua in Italy.
During his childhood in São Paulo, his mother gave him the nickname Toquinho because he was very short, using the affectionate phrase meu toquinho de gente. He began his musical path by taking early guitar lessons with a piano and guitar teacher named Dona Aurora. As a teenager at age fourteen, he expanded his studies under the guidance of Paulinho Nogueira.
How Toquinho became famous
Toquinho advanced his musical education by studying harmony with Edgar Gianulo, classical guitar with Isaias Sávio, and orchestration with Léo Peracchi. He also studied alongside and befriended Oscar Castro-Neves while developing his distinct guitar style. Initially performing in college venues, his professional career reached a turning point during the 1960s at shows organized by radio personality Walter Silva at the Paramount theater in São Paulo.
He composed his first recorded song, titled Lua Cheia, in collaboration with Chico Buarque. His breakthrough hit arrived in 1970 when he teamed up with Jorge Ben Jor to compose the track Que Maravilha. That same year, Vinicius de Moraes invited him to participate in a series of live performances in Buenos Aires, establishing a partnership that would last for eleven years.
Career highlights
The creative collaboration between Toquinho and Vinicius de Moraes resulted in one hundred twenty songs, twenty-five records, and more than one thousand live shows. Following the death of Vinicius de Moraes in 1980, Toquinho pursued a successful solo career while frequently collaborating with well-known artists such as Paulinho da Viola, Danilo Caymmi, Paulinho Nogueira, and Chico Buarque.
Throughout his career in the music industry, Toquinho composed and recorded five albums specifically for children and young audiences, including Arca de Noé in 1980 and Casa de brinquedos in 1983. In 2021, his collaborative album Toquinho e Yamandu Costa - Bachianinha, recorded live at the Rio Montreux Jazz Festival with Yamandu Costa, earned the Latin Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Album.
Birthday and age
Toquinho was born on July 6, 1946, which makes Toquinho 80 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Toquinho shares the date with 24 other famous people.
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