October 1993 at the Aula Magna, in Lisbon, accompanied by Luísa Amaro. After retiring from music and public life, he release two more albums from previously unreleased material: Na Corrente (1996), containing pieces recorded between 1969 and 1973 at the Valentim de Carvalho studios, and Canção para Titi (2000), with recordings from 1993. Illness and death In December 1993, Paredes was diagnosed with myelopathy. The disease forced Paredes to stop playing guitar, thus ending his career as a musician. He was interned at the Fundação-Lar Nossa Senhora da Saúde, in Campo de Ourique, Lisbon, until his death. Paredes died on 23 July 2004, in Lisbon. Following his death, the Portuguese government declared one day of national mourning in his honour. He lays buried at the Prazeres Cemetery, in Lisbon. Personal life Carlos Paredes was married two times. He married Ana Maria Napoleão Franco, in 1960. His second marriage was with Cecília de Melo. He had six children. He is remembered for his humbleness by those who knew him. He refused to solely make a living as a musician and kept his job in the radiography archive of the Hospital de São José until the age of 61, stating that he "loved music too much to live from it". Legacy Carlos Paredes is regarded as one of the greatest Portuguese guitarists of all-time and a genius of the Portuguese guitar. He is frequently called "The master of the Portuguese guitar" (Portuguese: O mestre da guitarra portuguesa) and "The man with the thousand fingers" (Portuguese: O homem dos mil dedos). Acclaimed fado singer Amália Rodrigues said that Paredes was "a national monument, like the Jerónimos Monastery". Several buildings in Portugal are named after Paredes. The Carlos Paredes Prize, an award for Portuguese musicians given by the Vila Franca de Xira municipality since 2003, is named after him. Awards and honors In 1992, Carlos Paredes was awarded the title of Commander of the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword by the President of Portugal. Discography Studio albums Guitarra Portuguesa (1967) Movimento Perpétuo (1971) O Oiro e o Trigo (1980, East Germany release) Espelho de Sons (1987) Asas Sobre o Mundo (1989) Na Corrente (1996) Canção para Titi: Os Inéditos 1993 (2000) Extended plays Carlos Paredes (1957) Guitarradas Sob o Tema do Filme "Verdes Anos" (1963) Romance Nº 2 (1968) Fantasia (1968) Porto Santo (1968) António Marinheiro - Tema da Peça (1972)