João Gilberto: Brazilian 'father of bossa nova' dies aged 88 Influential Brazilian musician João Gilberto has died aged 88. The singer and composer was known best as a pioneer of the bossa nova genre, which found international popularity in the 1960s. Reports say Gilberto died at home in Rio de Janeiro after a period of illness. His son confirmed the news of his death in a Saturday Facebook post. "His fight was noble, he tried to maintain dignity," Marcelo Gilberto said. Born in the north-east state of Bahia in 1931, Gilberto began singing aged 18. ◾João Gilberto BBC music page...