Luís Gil Bettencourt

Luís Gil Bettencourt is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the island's musical imaginarium. He was born at Base das Lajes on June 26, 1956, within a family of musicians from Graciosa Island hired by the American military to compose a Big Band in that decade. With the common collaboration of his brothers Paulo, Nuno and Roberto as well as his daughter Maria Bettencourt, Luis owns a very eclectic musical background that has its foundation stone in rock. Along his journey he discovers local azorean instrument viola da terra, with which he builds the soundtrack of the television series Xailes Negros. Also with this typical instrument, to which he added the adufe, he composes the soundtrack for a documentary on the life of José Saramago. Today, and alongside his daughter, he takes viola da terra to the stages of Hollywood, London and New York.