Cristina Branco was born in 1972 in Almeirim, in the Ribatejo region, Portugal, where she still lives. She was originally drawn to jazz and other forms of Portuguese music before finally opting for fado after being introduced to the music of Amália Rodrigues by her grandfather. After that, Cristina studied the poems from which major fado lyrics are taken. Since then, Cristina has worked on her fado repertory, accompanied by Custodio Castelo on guitar and as composer. Her music is deeply rooted in tradition, yet essentially modern. 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Coat of Arms Almeirim is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 222. ... The Ribatejo is the most central region of Portugal. ... Jazz master Louis Armstrong remains one of the most loved and best known of all jazz musicians. ... Portugal is internationally known in the music scene for its traditions of fado, a popular form of music that has undergone numerous mutations in the last half of the 20th century. ... Fado is a type of folk music which most likely originated in the 1820s in Portugal. ... Amália Rodrigues Amália Rodrigues (July 1920 - October 6, 1999) was a Portuguese singer and actress. ...