Vickie Tavares Vieira was born in Providence, Rhode Island, into a large family of ten siblings, comprising eight girls and two boys. Her parents were immigrants from Cape Verde, with her father hailing from Santiago and her mother from São Nicolau. Growing up in the Fox Point neighborhood, Vickie was immersed in a musical environment from a young age, quickly gaining recognition within the Cape Verdean community for her remarkable voice and expertise in Cape Verdean music.
As a young woman, Vickie was enthusiastic about performing at charity dances organized by community women, always under proper supervision. At nineteen, she began singing in local bands alongside her brother Flash, as this was the only way she could perform publicly. She was permitted to join bands that included her brother.
Among her early musical experiences was performing with a band led by "Cut" Cardoza, a fellow Fox Pointer. Over time, the band experienced several leadership changes, and when Flash assumed the helm, Vickie became a permanent member. The siblings often shared lead vocals, performing duets that blended traditional Cape Verdean music with American jazz.
Vickie did not receive formal vocal training; instead, she honed her skills through listening to the radio and early television broadcasts. She was particularly inspired by female jazz legends such as Lena Horne, Della Reese, Eartha Kitt, and Sarah Vaughan. Together, Vickie and Flash developed a unique style that infused jazz elements into Cape Verdean music, creating a distinctly American Cape Verdean sound.
After Flash relocated to San Francisco, Vickie continued to perform with various Cape Verdean bands throughout the 1950s, traveling along the East Coast from New York to Cape Cod. During this time, she earned recognition as the leading female American Cape Verdean singer.
Vickie later joined the Skyliners, a big band, and recorded with Phil Barboza's Orchestra, before performing with the Duke Oliver Band. Following successful tours with these groups, she returned to her roots in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. With Flash back from California, the duo resumed their popular performances together and Vickie most recently collaborated with the Creole Sextet.
Throughout her career, Vickie Vieira has entertained Cape Verdean audiences and others across New England. Her warm personality and exceptional vocal abilities have made her a favorite among audiences.
In 1995, Vickie participated in the Festival of American Folklife as part of the Cape Verdean Connection’s Cape Verdean American Dance Band. She has appeared at the So Sabi Festivals and in artist residency programs sponsored by the Boston Center for the Arts. Vickie contributed to the CD "So Sabi: Cape Verdean Music from New England," recorded at the festival. She has also performed at the Cape Verdean Conference organized by The Bi-lingual Center at Brown University and participated in an event at the Rhode Island Children’s Museum. During earlier Cape Verdean Independence Day celebrations at India Point Park, she sang the U.S. National Anthem. Vickie also appeared in the film “Some Kind of Funny Porto Rican.” Notably, when Aristedes Pereira, the first President of the Republic of Cape Verde, visited the United States, Vickie serenaded him and performed at his community meeting.
Beyond her musical accomplishments, Vickie Vieira is known for her ability to forge lasting friendships. She possesses a strong spiritual foundation, marked by her deep faith and commitment to her family.
Vickie resides in East Providence, Rhode Island, with her cherished sister Maria. Currently, she is recovering from a mild stroke, but she has expressed her determination to return to the stage in the near future.
