Rose Ramalho Canute

Rose Ramalho Canute (1930-2006), sister of Antonia Ramalho Sequeira and daughter of musician Francisco Ramalho, was born in Bridgeport and lived in Wareham, Massachusetts later in her life. Rose was a singer of Cape Verdean popular and traditional songs, and toured all over New England with several bands in the 1940s and 1950s. Growing up she learned Cape Verdean songs while their father Chico Clau played his violin. Starting in her teens, Rose traveled with violinist Julio Neves' band to play at community clubs throughout southern New England. Pioneer producer and distributor Al Lopes, a viola player from New Bedford, Massachusetts, made one of the earliest Cape Verdean-American music recordings, of Rose singing the morna Bissau.