Leno

Gileno Osório Wanderley de Azevedo (25 April 1949 – 8 December 2022), better known as Leno, was a Brazilian singer, composer, and guitarist.

Career Leno was born in Natal on 25 April 1949. He began his musical career in 1965 during the Jovem Guarda era. After becoming part of some bands, he was discovered by producers from the record label CBS, when he met Renato Barros of Renato e Seus Blue Caps. He went on to form a duo with Lílian Knapp, Barros' girlfriend and a friend of Leno since childhood. Their duo, Leno & Lílian, released its first single in 1966, a disc with the songs "Pobre Menina" and "Devolva-me" that, beginning with their participation on the Jovem Guarda program on Emissoras Unidas, brought them great success and leading them to be recognized nationally. That same year, they would released their first self-titled album, which included the single "Eu Não Sabia que Você Existia", which was also a radio success. Afterwards, Leno began to compose songs for other artists on the label, especially for Renato e seus Blue Caps, building up a reputation as well for being a composer.

After the release of his second studio album, Não Acredito, which put "Não Acredito" and "Coisinha Estúpida" on radio, misunderstandings between the two singers led to the end of the duo in 1968. That same year, he released his first solo album, Leno, and had a success with the song "A Pobreza". He participated as a composer for some Renato e seus Blue Caps albums at the end of the 60s. After another album that attempted to repeat the Jovem Guarda formula, titled A Festa dos seus 15 Anos, he was not able to land a success on the radio at all. He decided to reformulate his solo career when he met Raul Seixas, who was a producer at CBS, and the two went on to be close friends. It was Seixas who led him to a new direction in his career, helping him to produce the album Vida e Obra de Johnny McCartney between November 1970 and January 1971. Meanwhile, with various songs of his censored, the album was shelved by CBS, being only launched as a Maxi single. Even still, Leno was informed that the master tracks of the album were destroyed. That album, with production and lyrics by Seixas and participation by the bands A Bolha, Renato e seus Blue Caps, and the Uruguayan band Los Shakers, was meant to be a turning point in his career and that would lead to the release of his album on 8 channels in Brazil, but this did not materialize.

As a result, he returned to be a duo with Lílian in 1972, releasing two albums, but without the success of those albums. In 1976, he released Meu Nome É Gileno, with his own music, including a rerecording of the 1971 single "Grilo City" and rerecordings of songs such as "Luar do Sertão" (by poet Catulo da Paixão Cearense) and "Me Deixe Mudo", by composer Walter Franco.

Death Leno died on 8 December 2022 in Natal after suffering from cancer.

Discography Discography based on pages and referenced works.

Leno e Lilian

Studio albums

1966 – Leno e Lilian 1967 – Não Acredito 1972 – Leno e Lilian 1973 – Leno e Lilian

CDS

1966 – Devolva-me / Pobre Menina 1967 – Está Pra Nascer / Não Vai Passar 1967 – Coisinha Estúpida / Um Novo Amor Surgirá

EPs

1966 – Leno e Lilian 1967 – Leno e Lilian - Vol. II 1967 – Não Acredito 1968 – Não Acredito - Vol. II

Collections

1966 – As 14 Mais - Vol. XVIII (06 "Devolva-me e 13 "Pobre Menina") 1967 – As 14 Mais - Vol. XIX (03 "Está pra Nascer" e 12 "Não Vai Passar") 1967 – As 14 Mais - Vol. XX (03 "Não Acredito" e 12 "Parem Tudo")

Solo career

Studio albums

1968 – Leno 1970 – A Festa dos seus 15 Anos 1976 – Meu Nome É Gileno 1981 – Encontros no Tempo 1990 – Coração Adolescente 1995 – Vida e Obra de Johnny McCartney 2006 – Idade Mídia 2010 – Canções com Raulzito

Live

2000 – Coisas que a Gente Viveu

CDs

1968 – A Pobreza / Me Deixe em Paz 1970 – A Última Vez que Eu Vi Rozane / É Bom Estar em Natal mais uma Vez 1970 – Sha-la-la / Corina, Corina 1974 – Flores Mortas / Rock Baby Rock 1983 – Quero Amanhecer com Você / Com Muito Prazer 1984 – Rosa de Maio / Sonho Tropical

EPs

1971 – Lady Babel / Convite para Ângela / Johnny McCartney / Peguei Uma Apollo

Collections

1988 – O Melhor de Leno 1974-1988 1995 – Aquelas Canções - Antologia 1968-1970

Tributes

1991 – Brasil - Jovem Guarda 1995 – 30 Anos de Jovem Guarda - Vol 2 ("Ritmo de Chuva") 1995 – 30 Anos de Jovem Guarda - Vol 4 ("A Pobreza") 2002 – O Pulo do Negro Gato (01 "Negro Gato" e 11 "Esqueça e Perdoe") 2005 – Jovem Guarda para Sempre (01 "Momentos Inesquecíveis", 05 "Pobre Menina", 06 "Devolva-me", 07 "Veja se me Esquece" and 14 "Era Um Garoto Que Como Eu Amava os Beatles e os Rolling Stones")

Grupo Matéria Prima

1973 – Sessão de Rock

Videography

2005 – Jovem Guarda para Sempre com "Pobre Menina", "Veja Se Me Esquece", "Jovem Guarda" e "Era Um Garoto Que Como Eu Amava os Beatles e os Rolling Stones"