17 Facts About Rita Lee

Rita Lee Jones was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.

In 2023, Rita Lee, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer two years earlier, died at the age of 75 on 8 May 2023.

Rita Lee was born around 8:20 BRT on New Year's Eve 1947, in Sao Paulo, into a middle-class family.

Rita Lee was the youngest daughter of Charles Fenley Jones, a dentist of Confederate descent, and Romilda Padula, of Italian origin.

Rita Lee grew up in Vila Mariana and attended the Liceu Pasteur, becoming fluent in Portuguese, English, French, Spanish, and Italian.

In 1966, Rita Lee formed the band Os Mutantes with Arnaldo Baptista and Sergio Dias.

In that time, Rita Lee released her first two solo works, although these records were produced with fellow members of Os Mutantes.

Rita Lee formed a band with two other friends, excelling at vocals so much that they backed stars such as Tony Campelo, Jet Blacks, Demetrius, and Prini Lopez, when they met the brothers Arnaldo and Sergio Dias Baptista.

In 1970, Rita Lee recorded her solo album, Build Up, produced by Arnaldo Baptista.

In 1972, Rita Lee recorded another solo album backed by Os Mutantes, Hoje E o Primeiro Dia do Resto da Sua Vida.

Rita Lee was initially part of a female duo with singer Lucia Turnbull called Cilibrinas do Eden, and after a short time the duo met Lisergia, a band that would eventually become Lee's backing band with the name of Tutti Frutti.

The album was praised by critics, sold more than 700,000 copies and Rita Lee was given the title "Queen of Brazilian Rock".

That same year, Rita Lee wrote three children's books and appeared in Brazilian movies and TV shows.

Rita Lee worked as actress in the 1989 film Better Days Ahead and made a brief cameo in the 2002 film Durval Discos.

Rita Lee was married to Mutante Arnaldo Baptista from 1968 to 1972.

Rita Lee died at her home in Sao Paulo around 18:00 BRT on 8 May 2023, at the age of 75.

Rita Lee had been in treatment for lung cancer for over a year before her death.