Becoming Gilberto Gil

After finishing high school, the young man was accepted onto the Business Administration course at the Federal University of Bahia. During his studies, Gilberto Gil got involved in avant-garde events like the Music Seminar (Seminário de Música) run by composer and professor Hans-Joachim Koellreutter. 

He graduated in December 1964. At this point, Gil had started dating Belina de Aguiar, who he married shortly after.

Showing his gift for words, Gil delivered the graduation speech for his class.

While still in Salvador, Gilberto Gil met Belina de Aguiar. They got married in May 1964 and she took his surname. In January the following year, he and Belina de Aguiar Gil Moreira moved to São Paulo so he could take part in the recruitment process for the company Gessy Lever. 

For a while, the musician divided his time between formal work and recordings and performances.

Their two daughters were both born in the 1960s: Nara de Aguiar Gil Moreira in 1966 and Marília de Aguiar Gil Moreira in 1967.

In 1963, Gil meets Caetano Veloso, and in 1965, performs for the first time at the Vila Velha Theater after the colletive Nós, Por Exemplo, formed by Caetano, Maria Bethânia and Gal Costa. Titled Inventário, the show was directed by Caetano and included original songs.

Throughout his life, Gilberto Gil would always return to Salvador to visit his parents and keep up with his professional contacts. The musician even lived in the Bahian capital again for a while in the late 1980s.

José Gil Moreira  passed away on May 15th 1991, in Vitória da Conquista, in the state of Bahia, at 78 years old. Gil's mother, Claudina died on February 23th  2013 in Salvador, at 99 years old.