Luigi Tenco

Luigi Tenco (Cassine, March 21st, 1938 - Sanremo, January 27th, 1967) is a Italian Chanteur and a Compositeur, as he was considered itself.

Its Suicide, whereas it was with Sanremo to take part in the festival of the Italian song was surrounded a long time by a veil of mystery.

Today, its body rests with the cemetery of Ricaldone.

Biography

He did not know his father, Giuseppe, which died in circumstances never completely elucidated before he is born. Some affirm that Giuseppe was not his/her true father and that it would be the fruit of a relation extraconjugale of his mother, Teresa Zoccola.

It passes its first childhood between Cassine and Ricaldone from where his/her mother is originating. In 1948, the family goes in Ligurie, initially with Nervi and then with Genoa, where his/her mother opens a wine store. He attends, with enough good performances, initially the traditional college then the scientific college.

During these years, it creates (in 1953) a musical group, the Jerry Roll Boys Jazz band (compound of Danilo Dègipo to the battery, Bruno Lauzi with the banjo, Alfred Gerald with the guitar and itself with the clarinet). Then the group I Diavoli del Rock is made up with Roy Grassi and Gino Paoli.

It is registered with the faculty of Engineering then to that of Political sciences. For this period, it belongs to the Modern Jazz Group of Mario De Sanctis. With Marcello Minerbi and Luigi Coppola it creates a trio with the name curious about Garibaldi Trio, which has only one score of days of existence.

Its discographics beginnings go up at 1959 with the group the Riders. The group, to which belongbelong Gianfranco Reverberi, Paolo Tomelleri, Enzo Jannacci and Nando De Luca, records the 45 turns May, follow-up Semi chiedi solo amore. It was at that time that Luigi Tenco adopts the pseudonym of Gigi May.

Chronology of the events

In 1961 it leaves its first disc solo under its true name: I miei giorni perduti . In 1962, it begins a short cinematographic experiment with the film the cuccagna di Luciano Salce , in which it sings the piece " the ballata dell' eroe " , composed by his/her friend Fabrizio De André.

Always in the Sixties, it ties a great friendship with the anarchistic poet gènois Riccardo Mannerini.

The first 33 turns of Tenco leaves this year and contains successes like Mi sound system innamorato di you and Angela, but also Cara will maestra which is rejected by the commission of censure (the retransmission of this piece is interdict during two years on the SPOKE).

In 1963, it breaks its friendship with Gino Paoli because of the relation between this last and the young actress Stefania Sandrelli, whom it does not approve.

In September of the same year, its songs Io sì and Una faced ragazza are again blocked by the censure. Little time before, it had left the Ricordi recording company for Jolly (Joker).

In 1965, after many carryforwards, it makes its military service, mainly hospitalized.

The following year, it signs a contract with RCA and leaves a giorno dopo the altro, which becomes the music of the televised series the Maigret police chief. Other successes of the time are: Lontano lontano, Uno di questi giorni Ti sposerò, E Ci diranno, Ognuno E libero.

In Rome, it becomes acquainted with the singer Dalida with whom it would have had, perhaps, a connection.

Always at that time, he collaborates with the goupe happy The Primitives, led by Mal, and for which he writes, in collaboration with Sergio Bardotti, the Italian text of two songs " I ain' T gonna eat my heart anymore" , which will become great success " Yeeeeeeh! " , and " Thunder' N lightnin" , tradotta in " Johnny No! " and included in the album of the group Blow Up.

The tragic night of Sanremo

In 1967 it is presented, perhaps unwillingly, with the Festival of Sanremo with the song Ciao amore ciao, sung, as it was the use at that time, by two singers separately, Dalida and Tenco itself.

According to some testimonys, it seems that initially Tenco did not appreciate Ciao amore ciao, but Dalida succeeds in convincing it to present it to the festival.

This detail shows the irony of fate taking into account all that it occurred thereafter. The song is not retained with the final evening of the Festival, being classified with the twelfth places. With the fishing out, it is the song the rivoluzione of Gianni Pettenati which was selected. Tenco is completely discouraged by it.

Locked up in its hotel room Savoy, it is found died thereafter, a ball in the head, by Dalida itself.

One found a ticket written with his hand which contained the text:

“I wanted only the good of the Italian public and I unnecessarily dedicated five years of my life to him. I do this not because I am tired life (at all) but as an act of protest against a public which sends " Io you E the rose" into final and at a commission which selects " The rivoluzione". I hope that will be used to open the eyes. ciao. Luigi. ”

This, obviously, at the time, made think that the suicide was the single explanation to this absurdity death. More especially as Tenco had acquired of a revolver the previous year for its personal defense. However, during several decades, of many doubts accumulated on the real causes of its death: for example, the body was found with a wound by ball with the left temple: particularly disconcerting detail, Tanco was not at all left-handed. Moreover one never found the projectile which was the cause of death.

For these reasons, after years of pressures exerted by the press, on December 12th, 2005, after 38 years, the Public prosecutor of Sanremo asks for the exhumation of the body to try to establish the truth once and for all, i.e. to know if Tenco had committed suicide or, as the rumor had run during all these years, if it had been assassinated for reasons to determine.

February 15th, 2006, the Tenco business is officially declared closed. A new expertise on the body of Tenco retains, indeed, death by suicide, all the other assumptions being drawn aside, but as opposed to what one waited, the ball in cranium is not found. In spite of this decision, alternative theses with the suicide always circulate.

Homages

Little month after the death of Tenco, is published Preghiera in gennaio (Volume I) in which the singer Fabrizio De André honors the memory with his/her missing friend. The text, since decades, fact artie of many school anthologies of literature.

A few years after, Francesco De Gregori, remembers of Tenco in the Festival song. In 1974, in its honor, was created the Tenco Price, demonstration in which took part largest singer. In 1972, Amilcare Rambaldi founded in Sanremo the “Tenco Club” with an aim of joining together all those which, by collecting the message of Luigi Tenco, proposes to develop the song of author. Every year with the Theater Ariston de Sanremo is programmed Rassegna of the song of author. In Ricaldone, a homage is paid every year to Tenco, in summer, through the demonstration Isolated It in collina with the participation from singers.

Always in the same locality, on July 20th, 2006 was inaugurated Central di Documentazione Permanente Luigi Tenco, first museum in Italy dedicated to a singer. The memory of Luigi Tenco causes much emotion in the autobiography of his/her friend Bruno Lauzi.

During the last evening of the festival of 2007, Renato Zero interprets in Sanremo " Ciao Amore, Ciao" (in a medley in homage to Tenco) and touches the public of Ariston and whole Italy by an interpretation magitrale.

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