Nelson Ned d'Ávila Pinto was born on 2 March 1947 in Ubá, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and rose to prominence as a vocalist known for his work in Brazilian pop and romantic ballads. His early exposure to radio and television began at age five, and by fourteen he appeared on Tele Itacolomi, eventually hosting the program Gente, el tamaño no importa and winning the contest Un cantante por un millón. In 1960 he released his first single with the tracks "No sabía que estabas tan linda" and "Preludio a la vuelta", followed by his debut LP Un Show de 90 Centímetros in 1964. The 1970s saw international tours, including performances at Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden, and the release of albums such as O Poder Da Fé (1976) and Jesus Está Vivo (1993). He achieved significant commercial success, selling over 50 million records worldwide and becoming the first Latin artist to sell a million copies in the United States with "Happy Birthday My Darling" in 1974. Nelson Ned transitioned to gospel music in the 1990s, producing albums like Jesus Te Ama (1994) and Jesus Ressuscitou (2004). He suffered a stroke in 2003, lived in a nursing home from late 2013, and died on 5 January 2014 in Cotia, São Paulo, after complications from pneumonia.
