Lisbon mourns the death of António Chainho

António Chainho was born in Setúbal on January 27, 1938, and began his almost 60-year career in the 1960s.

Master of the Portuguese guitar, consultant and collaborator of the Fado Museum "from the very beginning", António Chainho dedicated himself to "the traditional circuit of fado houses and musical accompaniment - from Hermínia Silva to Maria Teresa de Noronha, from Lucília do Carmo to Frei Hermano da Câmara or Carlos do Carmo, an artist he accompanied for two decades on the world's greatest stages", recalls the Fado Museum.

From the 1980s onwards, he began "a career in his own name, with original songs", while "systematically encouraging the teaching of the Portuguese guitar among the younger generations".

In 2024, the guitarist filled Lisbon's Praça do Município and marked his farewell to the stage with the "Lisboa Saudade" concert.

On that occasion, Carlos Moedas paid tribute to the master António Chainho: "The Portuguese guitar would not be what it is without the master, because he had the courage, like few others, to change the fate of the Portuguese guitar. He changed the destiny, he freed the Portuguese guitar".

In 2012, he was honored in Lisbon with the Municipal Medal of Merit, Gold.

In 2022, he was decorated by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, with the rank of Commander of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator.