Domenico Modugno (; 9 January 1928 – 6 August 1994) was an Italian singer, actor and, later in life, a member of the Italian Parliament. He is known for his 1958 international hit song "Nel blu dipinto di blu", for which he received the first Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. He is considered the first Italian cantautore.

Early life

The youngest of four children, Modugno was born at Polignano a Mare, in the province of Bari (Apulia), on 9 January 1928. was a municipal police commander, while his mother, Pasqua Lorusso, where his father was transferred for a new job position. Here Domenico attended primary school and learned San Pietro Vernotico's dialect, which belongs to the linguistic area of Salentino dialect, similar to Sicilian. He attended secondary school in Lecce. The turning point of his career came in that year, when he also participated in the Sanremo Music Festival, presenting, together with Johnny Dorelli, the song "Nel blu dipinto di blu." Co-authored by Modugno and Franco Migliacci, the song won the contest and became an enormous success worldwide. It received two Grammy Awards with sales above 22 million copies, and represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 1958, where it came in third.

Discography

  • "Lu pisce spada"
  • "Lazzarella"
  • "Nel blu dipinto di blu" – also known as "Volare" (Sanremo winner song, 1958), co-authored with Franco Migliacci
  • Buon Natale A Tutto Il Mondo (1958, with Ennio Morricone)
  • "La lontananza"
  • "Piove" – also known as "Ciao, ciao bambina" (Sanremo winner song, 1959)
  • "Sopra i tetti azzurri del mio pazzo amore"
  • "Vecchio frac"
  • "Non piangere Maria"
  • "Amara terra mia"
  • "Stasera pago io"
  • "Il maestro di violino"
  • "Tu si 'na cosa grande"
  • "Questa è la mia vita"
  • "Addio...addio..."
  • "Piange... il telefono"

Sanremo Festival

thumb|Modugno in 1969

Modugno was the winner four times (in 1958, 1959, 1962 and 1966).

  • 1956 "Musetto"
  • 1958 "Nel blu dipinto di blu" (winner)
  • 1959 "Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)" (winner)
  • 1960 "Libero" (second place)
  • 1962 "Addio... addio..." (winner)
  • 1964 "Che me ne importa a me" (second place)
  • 1966 "Dio, come ti amo" (winner)
  • 1967 "Sopra i tetti azzurri del mio pazzo amore"
  • 1968 "Il posto mio"
  • 1971 "Come stai?"
  • 1972 "Un calcio alla città"
  • 1974 "Questa è la mia vita" (second place)

References

  • Official website