Rocky Roberts

Rocky Roberts
Background information
Birth name Charles Roberts
Born 23 August 1940
Tanner, Alabama, United States[1]
Died (2005-01-14)January 14, 2005, age 66[2]
Rome, Italy
Occupation(s) Singer
Years active 1960–2004

Rocky Roberts (born Charles Roberts, Tanner, 23 August 1940– Rome, 13 January 2005) was an American-born Italian rhythm and blues singer.

Before he became famous in show business, Roberts served in the United States Navy and was a Navy champion boxer. He first got interested in singing by a country-oriented musician named Doug Fowlkes, who was in a band called the Airdales (US-navy slang for Navy pilots).[1]

Roberts won a singing competition while on shore leave in Juan-les-Pins, France, and chose to stay in Europe after retiring from the Navy in 1962.[2][1]

In 1967, he had a major Italian hit, "Stasera Mi Butto", which sold 3.7 million copies[1] and won the Festivalbar.[3] The song's success led to a 1967 motion picture of the same title, starring Roberts. He appeared subsequently in several other Italian films.

He was known for always wearing dark sunglasses.[2][1]

Roberts sang the Luis Bacalov-written theme song from the 1966 film, Django.[4] Quentin Tarantino reused the recording as the opening theme for his 2012 film Django Unchained.[5]

He died of lung cancer in Rome in 2005 at the age of 66.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Italian fans rave for 'Bama Singer", UPI in The Beaver County Times, May 6, 1970.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Rocky Roberts, 66; Ex-Boxer Made a Hit Record, Movie in Italy", Los Angeles Times, January 16, 2005.
  3. ↑ "From the Music Capitals of the World: Milan", Billboard, September 30, 1967.
  4. ↑ Núñez Marqués, Anselmo (2006). "Django y Ringo, sucedáneos con identidad". Western a la europea...: un plato que se sirve frío (in Spanish). Entrelineas Editores. p. 124. ISBN 9788498024326.
  5. ↑ Randy Lewis, "Quentin Tarantino discusses the music of 'Django Unchained'", Los Angeles Times, December 25, 2012.
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