José Fernandes de Oliveira, known as Padre Zezinho, was born on June 8, 1941, in Machado, Brazil. He is a Dehonian priest and musician who inherited his love for music from his violinist father. At the age of eleven, he entered the seminary of the Dehonian Fathers and was ordained as a priest at 25 years old on September 21, 1966. Padre Zezinho began composing in 1964 and started his singing career in 1967. He recorded "Song of Friendship (Shalom)," his first compact, by Paulines COMEP in 1969, marking a significant breakthrough in his music career. Throughout the 1970s and beyond, he released numerous albums including Um certo Galileu (1976), Oa Melhores Momentos (1990), and Canções que a Fé escreveu (1996). In 2010, his album Ao País dos Meus Sonhos was nominated for Best Christian Album (Portuguese Language) at the Latin Grammys. Padre Zezinho also authored several books and presented programs on Catholic Radio stations in Brazil.
