Dinho

Alecsander Alves (March 5, 1971 – March 2, 1996), better known as Dinho , was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and comedian who was the lead singer of Mamonas Assassinas, a rock band.

Born in Bahia and raised in Guarulhos, São Paulo, Dinho began vocal training at age five under his instructor Donizete Severo. In July 1990, he joined the rock band Utopia, in Guarulhos, while working in an office and pursuing comedy. The band had difficulty finding commercial success, however, upon rebranding as a comedy band called Mamonas Assassinas in 1995, the band gained widespread public attention within weeks, performing in concerts across Brazil and making frequent media appearances. On March 2, 1996, the band members were flying aboard a plane in Serra da Cantareira when it crashed, with all members losing their lives.

Early life Dinho was born in Irecê, Bahia. When he was just two months old he moved with his parents, Hildebrando Alves Leite and Celia Ramos Alves, to Guarulhos, São Paulo, where the family sought a better opportunities. His nickname, “Dinho,” was given by his maternal grandmother, Carmen Ramos, of Spanish origin, who couldn't pronounce Alecsander and nicknamed him Dinho instead.

He started singing as a child, and by the age of five was the main performer in the children's choir at his local church. While growing up, he had his first singing lessons from Donizete Severo. After Severo died in an accident at the factory she worked in 1992, Dinho stopped attending the worship service. His performance impressed Utopia's members, leading them to invite him to be their new lead singer. The band would later include Marcio Araujo (keyboardist) and Julio Rasec (then percussionist, later keyboardist) as members. Zacanini would later write the song “Mil Momentos” (A Thousand Moments), dedicated to the singer.

He later had a relationship with Valeria Zoppello until his death in 1996.

The limited access to the mountainous crash site resulted in delays in the rescue effort, which could only be carried out effectively the following morning.

Honors On January 10, 1996, Dinho was honored with the title of "Emeritus Citizen of Dracena" in recognition of his mother's roots in the city and his contributions to Brazilian music and culture.

Posthumous In 2008, Dinho was portrayed by Fabrizio Teixeira in the special “Por Toda Minha Vida – Mamonas Assassinas” (For All My Life – Mamonas Assassinas), which competed for the Emmy of Best Arts Programming.

In 2016, he was portrayed by Ruy Brissac in the play “O Musical Mamonas” (The Mamonas Musical). Ruy portrayed him again in “Mamonas Assassinas – A Série” (Mamonas Assassinas – The TV Show), made in partnership with RecordTV, with a script by Carlos Lombardi and directed by Léo Miranda. He returned for the role in 2023 for the movie “Mamonas Assassinas – O Filme” (Mamonas Assassinas – The Movie).

Two streets named Alecsander Alves, Dinho's baptismal name, were created; one in Juiz de Fora and another in the Villa Barros neighborhood in Guarulhos. In 2019, a square was inaugurated in his hometown of Irecê, where the singer was immortalized with the installation of a full-body sculpture, an event attended by his parents, Hildebrando and Celia. The Irecê Symphony Orchestra and a Mamonas cover band, made up of local artists, performed at the ceremony.