Gilberto Gil is a Grammy award-winning singer, guitarist, environmentalist and politician.Between 2003 and 2008, he served as Brazil’s Minister of Culture on the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He stepped down from the post to focus on his music career. He incorporates a wide range of styles in his music and has won many international awards.

Gil was born in 1946 in the northeast of Brazil. He had an intense love of music from the age of two.He grew up listening to local street performers and taught himself to play the drum and trumpet.His mother developed his musical talents by sending him to music school.He learnt to play the guitar after being inspired by Joao Gilberto.Gil’s career started in the early 1960s as a composer for television advertisements.He released several singles and became influenced by rock and roll.He left Brazil and went to London, where he played with groups like Pink Floyd.In 1998, Gil won a Grammy for Best World Music Album for ‘Quanta Live’. He became one of the stars of world music.Gil's political career began in 1987 as asecretary of culture for the city of Salvador.A year later he was commissioner for environmental protection. In 1990, Gil joined Brazil’s Green Party.He also founded the environmental protection organization Blue Wave, which protected Brazil’s coastline.He quit as Minister of Culture in July 2008 because public speaking was affecting his singing ability.

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