Benito di Paula
Brazilian · 84 years old · Died 18 October 2026
Brazilian samba singer and pianist behind Retalhos de Cetim and Meu Amigo Charlie Brown
Cause of death
Prostate cancer
Benito di Paula was a Brazilian singer, pianist and songwriter born Uday Vellozo in Nova Friburgo in 1941. He became one of the best-selling samba artists of the 1970s with songs including Retalhos de Cetim, Mulher Brasileira and Meu Amigo Charlie Brown, and was still performing with his son Rodrigo Vellozo in recent years. He died at Hospital 9 de Julho in São Paulo at the age of 84 after being treated for prostate cancer for about a year, according to Metrópoles and other Brazilian outlets.
How common is cancer (all types)?
Benito di Paula died of prostate cancer. Globally, cancer (all types) kills 10,000,000 people every year. That is 27,397 per day, or roughly one person every 3 seconds. It accounts for 16% of all deaths worldwide.
Deaths / year
10,000,000
Deaths / day
27,397
Deaths / hour
1,142
Deaths / second
0.32
Share of all global deaths
Risk factors for cancer (all types)
Since Benito di Paula died
Live count since 18 October 2026
Total deaths worldwide since then
---
Deaths from same cause since then
---