Cid was born in 1942 in Chamusca, son of Francisco Albano Coutinho Ferreira and Fernanda Tavares Salter Cid Ferreira Gameiro. At age 6, he moved with his family to the municipality of Anadia.[3][4] His professional career began when he started a covers band called Os Babies ("The Babies"), in 1956.
In 1960, Cid began Law School at the University of Coimbra (FDUC). During his time in Coimbra, he created the musical group Conjunto Orfeão with José Niza, Proença de Carvalho and Rui Ressurreição. Cid subsequently joined the bands Trio Los Dos and Os Claves.[5]
In 1965, Cid dropped out of school, without having completed his first year, and left for Lisbon to attend the National Institute of Physical Education (INEF). One of his colleagues at INEF was the brother of Michel, a member of the band Conjunto Mistério. After an audition, he was invited to join the group, later renamed Quarteto 1111.
Cid did not graduate from INEF either, because he was called to serve as an officer in the Portuguese Air Force. At the air base of Ota, he was a gym teacher from 1968 to 1972. His days were spent teaching in the mornings, and rehearsing during the afternoons, playing music in a garage. On the weekends, he performed with Quarteto 1111.[4]
José Cid co-founded Quarteto 1111, the first band to take a new approach to pop-rock music in Portugal, with a modern line-up and instrumentation.
Quarteto 1111 was the first symphonic rock band in Portugal. Between 1968 and 1969 they received media attention from a hit single, "El Rei D. Sebastião", a song about the loss of the Portuguese king D. Sebastião, who supposedly died in the fields of Morocco during the battle of Alcazarquivir (a loss that would eventually lead to Portugal losing its independence from Spain). All the myths related with the return of King Sebastian – a quite anchored Portuguese myth – were fairly treated in this song. The harpsichord made its first appearance in Portuguese rock music. A single with the English version of the song was released in Great Britain. José Cid was the band leader, composer, keyboard and lead singer. The rest of the band had a classic formation influenced by the usual Beatles line-up, but with a sound and song structure reminiscent of The Moody Blues. The following album continued in the same vein, combining melodic songs with new "progressive" instruments, namely the Mellotron. Later on the band evolved to the late 1970s pop sound.
In 1979 José Cid was selected by RTP to represent Portugal in the eighth edition of the OTI Festival, which was held in Caracas, Venezuela. He competed with the song "Na cabana junto à praia" (In a little house next to the beach), which was well received in the festival to the point that he managed to get the third place with 32 points.
In 1981, one year after his participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, he was again selected by the Portuguese broadcaster to compete in the tenth edition of the OTI Festival, which was held in Mexico City. This time he was not as successful as in his previous attempt in the Latin-American song contest and he got the tenth place scoring 14 points.
José Cid himself made a career as a songwriter and singer, and remains a popular and active musician in Portugal.
His latest album "Menino Prodígio", released in 2015, was awarded the Pedro Osório Award for the best album of the year by the Sociedade Portuguesa de Autores (SPA) (English: Portuguese Society of Authors).
José Cid married Gabriela Carrascalão in 2013. Carrascalão is an East Timorese journalist and artist/painter.[11] Cid and Gabriela live in a farm in Mogofores, municipality of Anadia.
Cid has one daughter, Ana Sofia Infante Pedroso (born 1964) from his first marriage with Emilia Infante Pedroso. Ana Sofia worked briefly with her father, but they are currently estranged.[12]
José Cid is a liberal monarchist and openly and vigorously defends the Portuguese monarchist cause. In 2022, he said:[13]
"I am a monarchist, but I am not a monarchist of this PPM (Monarchist People's Party), mind you. Being a progressive monarchist is simple. It is what Sá Carneiro did not have the courage to assume, although he was married to a Swede, to follow the countries of northern Europe, the least corrupt, the most cultured, the best living countries in the world – and the most boring because they must be full of snow now. We have the best people in the world, the best climate in the world, the best gastronomy in the world, the best shape in the world because we have endured amazing things, from a regicide, two dictatorships, the Salazarist and the Marcelista, and another one very close to a gentleman who won with an absolute majority and who walks around on the loose in Ericeira [reference to Socialist Party's former Prime Minister of Portugal, José Sócrates]."[14]
LP (Prólogo, João Nada, Domingo em Bidonville, Estrada Para A Minha Aldeia, A Fuga dos Grilos, As Trovas do Vento Que Passa, Pigmentaçäo, Maria Negra, Lenda de Nambuangongo, Escravatura, Epílogo)
LP (Vem Senhor Jesus, Graças Ao Senhor, O Sonho, Hino da Esperança, Bruma Azul do Desejado, Estrela do Mar, Saudai o Senhor, Hino de Natal, Paz na terra, Um Presépio Em Belém)
Compilation (A Lenda de El-Rei D. Sebastião, Os Faunos, Balada para D. Inês, Partindo-se, Dona Vitória, Nas Terras do Fim do Mundo, Meu Irmão, Domingo Em Bidonville, João Nada, As Trovas do Vento Que Passa, Back to The Country, Ode to The Beatles, Uma Nova Maneira de Encarar o Mundo)
Compilation (Os Faunos, A Lenda de El-Rei D. Sebastião, Balada para D. Inês, Partindo-se, Dona Vitória, Meu Irmão, Dragão, Os Monstros Sagrados, Génese, Bissaide, Nas Terras do Fim do Mundo, Domingo Em Bidonville, João Nada, As Trovas do Vento Que Passa, Maria Negra, Todo O Mundo E Ninguém, É Tempo de Pensar Em Termos de Futuro, Back to The Country, Ode to The Beatles, Uma Nova Maneira de Encarar o Mundo)
Compilation (A Lenda de El-Rei D. Sebastião, Meu Irmão, Ode to The Beatles, As Trovas do Vento Que Passa, Domingo Em Bidonville, Balada para D. Inês, Dona Vitória, João Nada, Dragão, Nas Terras do Fim do Mundo, Pigmentação, Fantasma Pop)
Compilation (A Lenda De El-Rei D. Sebastião, Os Faunos, Gente, Balada Para D. Inês, Partindo-Se, Dona Vitória, Nas Terras Do Fim Do Mundo, Meu Irmão, Domingo Em Bidonville, João Nada, As Trovas Do Vento Que Passa, Epílogo, Back To The Country, Ode To The Beatles, Uma Nova Maneira De Encarar O Mundo)
EP ( No Dia Em Que O Rei Fez Anos, Doce E Fácil Reino Do Blá, Blá, Blá, Count James, Bola De Cristal, A Rosa Que Te Dei, Imagens, Another Time To Live, Another Time To Die, Cantiga Portuguesa, Uma Nova Maneira de Encarar O Mundo, Vinte Anos)
Compilation ( 20 Anos, Rita Rita Limão, Só Eu Sei, Meu Amor, Uma Nova Maneira De Encarar O Mundo, Quem Te Manda Sapateiro, Imagens, Lembranças, No Dia Em Que O Rei Fez Anos, Historia Alegre, Bola De Cristal, O Que Custar, Doce E Fácil, Reino Do Blá, Blá, Blá)
LP. Se Eu Fizesse Amor Contigo, Desencontro, Magia, Depois Da Meia Noite, Na Manhã Do Meu Viver, Desde Que Me Ames Um Pouco, Uma Lágrima, O Cantor Na T.V., A Não Ser Que, Depois De Ti
Chovia Em Paris, Velho Moinho, Uma Balalaika, Tudo Bem, Tudo Bem, Como Um Condor A Voar, Caminheiro Da Noite De Estrelas, Os Teus Secretos Segredos, Ha
Double platinum. Tracks: Na Cabana Junto à Praia, A Lenda de El-Rei D. Sebastião, 20 anos, O Melhor Tempo da Minha Vida (Original), Ontem, Hoje e Amanhã, A Rosa Que Te Dei, Verdes Trigais em Flor, O Poeta, o Pintor o Músico, Velho Moinho, Nossa Senhora do Tejo (unreleased theme from the Filha do Mar soap opera), Junto à Lareira, Mulher, Café Contigo (Original), Cai Neve em Nova Iorque, Não Tenho Lágrimas, Sonhador, Balada Para D. Inês, S. Salvador do Mundo, Há
CD 1
Como O Macaco Gosta De Bananas, Tôpo De Gama, A Pouco E Pouco (“Favas Com Xóriço!”), Amanhã De Manhã, Deus Inventou O Rock, Portuguese Boys, A Minha Música, Um Grande, Grande Amor, Beatlemania, Strawberry Fields Forever, Ego, Jardim À Beira Mar, O Pintor Não Morreu (duet with Paulo de Carvalho), Magia, Veneno Bom, Bola De Cristal, Doce E Fácil Reino Do Blá, Blá, Blá, Yesterday Today And Tomorrow
CD 2
«Topo De Gama», #«No Tempo Em Que O Toninho Lanchava Com Os Amigos Na Pastelaria S.Bento», #«Chovia Em Paris», #«Coração De Papelão», #«Amizade Colorida», #«Uau! Lobo Mau!», #«Como Um Condor A Voar», #«De Surpresa», #«No Teu Refúgio», #«No Meu Piano», #«À Conquista De Cacela», #«Desde Que Me Ames Um Pouco», #«Tenho Este Amor Para Dar», #«Rendez Vous», #«A Não Ser Que», #«Um Rock Dos Bons Velhos Tempos», #«Na Rádio», #«Epitáfio»
Progressive rock album, based in work started in the 70's after 10,000 Anos Depois Entre Venus E Marte, featuring the thematics of reincarnation and life after death. Several song were played live in 2014. Was due to be released in 2016, but was eventually released in 2021.
^RTP, RTP, Rádio e Televisão de Portugal - Daniela Santiago -. "José Cid lança álbum em castelhano" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 May 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
