Italian singer-songwriter and composer Toto Cutugnowinning eurovision in 1990 and the author of the famous ‘L’italiano’ hymn died this Tuesday at the age of 80 in Milan’s San Raffaele hospital, where he was hospitalized for illness.
The death, confirmed to the media by its representative, Danilo Mancuso, occurred “after”. a long illness that has worsened in recent months“, although it is not revealed what kind of disease it is.
billet I turned 80 last July 7
The musician was the author of ‘L’italiano’, one of Italy’s most beloved and representative musical hymns in the world, a song presented at the 1983 edition of the Sanremo Festival, of which he was a regular.
He then became the second Italian winner of the competition with his song ‘Insieme: 1992’. 1990 Eurovision Song ContestA feat not seen since 1964 with his participation. Gigliola Cinquetti and that it will not be repeated with the Roma group until 2021. maneskin.
Salvatore Cutugno was born in Fosdinovo, Tuscany, on July 7, 1943. He was born in the middle of World War II, but his family soon moved to the Liguria region.
He showed a talent for music from a very young age He started playing drums in the group “Toto ei Tati” in the sixties with the encouragement of his family and later formed the group “Albatros”, where he also sang.
He started his solo career in the late seventies and conquered the public with albums such as ‘Voglio l’anima’ (1979), ‘La mia musica’ (1981) and ‘L’Italiano’ (1983). In this last album, he included the homonymous song that became an anthem in half the world and which he called ‘Lasciatemi cantare, with the chitarra in mano’ (Let me sing the guitar in my hand).
With over a hundred million records sold, he is one of the most relevant Italian musicians internationally.l, but has also written lyrics for other greats of the Italian ‘canzone’ such as Adriano Celentano, among others.
He won the Sanremo Festival in 1980 with ‘Solo noi’ but would return to the legendary Italian competition fifteen times, both solo and in duo with other artists.