The Regional do Canhoto were formed in 1950 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by Canhoto (born as Waldiro Frederico Tramontano in Rio de Janeiro, 1908). Canhoto, as his nickname attests, is a left-handed cavaquinho player with a discreet, but recognizable, personal style coined after his upward pick strokes. In spite of having a group of his own, he never recorded a solo album, but his success came through radio activity and the hits recorded by his regional, who included violonistas (acoustic guitar players) Dino and Meira, flutist Altamiro Carrilho, accordionist Orlando Silveira, and pandeirista Gilson de Freitas. The group was a continuation of the work developed by the Regional de Benedito Lacerda, after Lacerda's departure. The group began their professional activities in March 1951, accompanying great artists at Rádio Mayrink Veiga. Soon signed to Victor, the regional recorded several albums that had great success, with the first one, Meu Limão, Meu Limoeiro, being released abroad. Other big hits were the choro Canarinho Teimoso (Altamiro Carrilho/Ari Duarte, 1951), Gingando (Dino/Canhoto), the polka Rato, Rato (Casimiro Rocha/C. Costa, 1951), and the baião Luar de Paquetá (Freire Júnior/Hermes Fontes, 1951). The regional was extremely versatile, accompanying diverse styles ranging from Orlando Silva to Nelson Gonçalves, from Jackson do Pandeiro to Luiz Gonzaga, and having recorded the repertory of the national popular commemorations known as festas juninas with success. The Regional do Canhoto were the first regional to record written scores, which were produced by Radamés Gnattali and Guio de Moraes. In 1957, Carrilho left the regional to form his Bandinha de Altamiro Carrilho, being replaced first by Arthur Ataíde, soon substituted by Carlos Poyares. They continued to play at Rádio Mayrink Veiga until the early '60s, when the radio station was closed and the group dissolved. Canhoto continued to be a highly requested cavaquinho player during the '70s, participating in the first album by Cartola in 1974. ~ Alvaro Neder, Rovi