Franco Simone
Franco Simone (born 21 July 1949) is an Italian singer-songwriter, composer and television host.
Background
Born in Acquarica del Capo in the province of Lecce, in the salentine peninsula of the region of Apulia, Simone started his career winning the Castrocaro Music Festival in 1972.[1] In 1974 he entered the competition at the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Fiume grande", obtaining his first success in the Italian hit parade.[1][2][3] "Fiume grande" also had a significant international success in its French and Spanish version (under the titles, respectively, "Je ne comprends plus rien" and "Río Grande").[1]
In 1976 Simone got his main success in Italy with the song "Tu e così sia", which peaked fourth in the hit parade.[2] In the following years Simone grew his international popularity, especially in Latin America, where he gradually focused his career.[1][3]
In 1993 his LP "La Ley del Alma (y de la piel)", containing the Spanish versions of his songs, reached the 13th position in the USA Billboard Hit Parade, first LP of the parade not sung in English[4].
From 2008 to 2011 he gave singing lessons at "Star Rose Academy" in Rome where he taught to sister Cristina Scuccia, the winner of "The Voice of Italy 2014".
In 2011 he won the Globo d'oro for Best Song for the song "Accanto" included in the film Native.[4]
In 2013-2014 he composed the symfonic-rock opera "Stabat Mater" (on the 13th century Latin text by Jacopone da Todi) sung together with the rocker Michele Cortese end the Anglo-Italian tenor Gianluca Paganelli.
In 2015 his song "Per Fortuna" ("Por Suerte" in Spanish), sung by Michele Cortese, won the 56th edition of the Latin American Festival of Viña del Mar (Chile).
Discography
- 1972 - Se di mezzo c'è l'amore (Ri-Fi, RDZ-ST S 14226)
- 1974 - La notte mi vuole bene (Ri-Fi, RDZ-ST S 14240)
- 1976 - Il poeta con la chitarra (Ri-Fi, RDZ-ST S 14274)
- 1977 - Respiro (Ri-Fi, RDZ-ST S 14287)
- 1978 - Paesaggio (Ri-Fi, RDZ-ST S 14300)
- 1979 - Franco Simone (Franco Simone & C. / WEA, FS 9001)
- 1980 - Racconto a due colori (Franco Simone & C. / WEA, FS 9002)
- 1982 - Gente che conosco (Franco Simone & C. / WEA, FS 9004)
- 1984 - Camper (SGM, 91001)
- 1986 - Il pazzo, lo zingaro ed altri amici (Targa, TAL 1413)
- 1989 - Totò (Skizzo / Fonit Cetra, LPX 233)
- 1990 - Vocepiano - dizionario dei sentimenti (Skizzo - Discomagic, LP 486)
- 1995 - Venti d'amore (2 inediti) (Nibbio / Skizzo - Fonit Cetra, CDL 391)
- 1996 - Una storia lunga una canzone (Nibbio / Skizzo - Fonit Cetra, CDL 410)
- 1998 - Notturno fiorentino (Nibbio / Skizzo - RTI, CNT 21132)
- 2001 - Eliopolis - La città del sole (Segnali Caotici, 253750053-2)(with the Great Balkanic Orchestra of Nikos Papakostas)
- 2003 - Dizionario (rosso) dei sentimenti - VocEpiano (Azzurra, DA1012) (+ DVD)
- 2010 - Nato tra due mari (CD La musica del mare + DVD Le parole del mare - Skizzo distribuzione Self, ICEBOX 10/05)
- 2011 - C'era il sole ed anche il vento... - Skizzo distribuzione Self, ICEBOX 10/06
- 2011 - La musica del mare (reprint of the CD "La musica del mare" of the CD box "Nato tra due mari" in 2010 with bonus track "Accanto" winner of the Golden Globe 2011 for the best film song (Skizzo distribuzione Self, ICEBOX 10/07)
- 2014 - Stabat Mater, symphonic rock opera (Latin text by Jacopone da Todi) featuring Michele Cortese e Gianluca Paganelli, special guest Rita Cammarano
- 2016 - Carissimo Luigi (Franco Simone canta Luigi Tenco).
References
- 1 2 3 4 Eddy Anselmi. Festival di Sanremo: almanacco illustrato della canzone italiana. Panini Comics, 2009. ISBN 8863462291.
- 1 2 Dario Salvatori. Storia dell'Hit Parade. Gramese, 1989. ISBN 8876054391.
- 1 2 Enrico Deregibus. Dizionario completo della Canzone Italiana. Giunti Editore, 2010. ISBN 8809756258.
- ↑ Giancarlo Passarella (2 July 2011). "Franco Simone vince il Globo d'Oro 2011". Musical News. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
Bibliography
- Stasi, Carlo (2016). Sono nato cantando... tra due mari (radici e canto nella poetica di Franco Simone, cantautore salentino). Sannicola: iQuadernidelBardo. p. 38. ISBN 9788899763084.
External links
- Official website
- Franco Simone at AllMusic
- Franco Simone discography at Discogs
- Franco Simone on IMDb