António Vicente Lopes, better known as Antoninho Travadinha was one of the major autodidactic musicians of Cape Verde originated from the island of Santo Antão.
He performed the popular dances when he was only nine years old, and made himself internationaly famous when he became forty, by the time he undertook a tournée in Portugal. One of his albums was recorded in Lisbon at the Hot Club (oldest Jazz Club in Portugal).
Other than the violin, Travadinha played wonderfully well with the twelve string guitar, the cavaquinho and the guitar. Travadinha interpreted traditional music styles of Cape Verde including the morna and coladera.
He died in 1987 when he reached great popularity.
