Zequinha de Abreu was born on September 19, 1880 in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro (Brasil). At the age of 6 he began to take music lessons, he learned to play the flute, clarinet and piano, later he also had lessons in harmonics. He became a musicians and also showed talent as a composer. He wrote over 300 pieces, the most famous surely being "Tico, Tico" that was interpreted by many artists. Later he owned a drugstore, was major of his hometown and worked as a piano teacher.