Brazil's Sergio Mendes who made bossa nova popular globally dies at 83

BRASILIA, Brazil - Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes, who brought bossa nova to international audiences in the 1960s, died on Friday at the age of 83 in Los Angeles, his family said.

In a statement posted on his website, the family said Mendes, who had been suffering from the effects of long COVID, died peacefully surrounded by his wife and children.

One of the most successful Brazilian artists internationally, Mendes recorded more than 35 albums, many of which went gold or platinum.

A three-time Grammy award winner and Oscar nominee, Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold out and wildly enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona.

Mendes leaves "an incredible musical legacy from more than six decades of a unique sound first showcased by his band Brasil ’66," the family said.

American musician Herb Alpert, who helped Mendes launch his international career, said on Instagram that Mendes was "an extremely gifted musician who brought Brazilian music in all its iterations to the entire world with elegance and joy." — Reuters