Biography

When his song "Nel blu dipinto di blu" (aka "Volare") hit the #1 slot on the US charts in 1958, it became the only Italian song ever to do so. It went on to win the very first "Record of the Year" and "Song of the Year" categories at the Grammys when the recording industry's awards show premiered that year. When English lyrics were later added, artists such as Dean Martin, Nelson Riddle, Bobby Rydell, Al Martino, The McGuire Sisters, Alan Dale, Barry White, Linda Ross, Jesse Belvin each released their own covers of the song.

His hit song "Io" was sung by Elvis Presley in English with the title "Ask Me".

He is considered the first Italian cantautore (= he Italian expression corresponding to singer-songwriters).

He had supported the campaigns of the Italian Socialist Party and one for divorce, in addition to criticizing the human rights violations by the regime of Augusto Pinochet, that cost him a denial of entry in Chile, where he had been scheduled to hold a concert.

He discovered in 1958 the Italian comedy duo of Franco and Ciccio, became their manager and got them into a long-running film career.