He is one of the ambassadors of Italian music in the world. Known in Romania, Spain, Turkey, but also Germany and Russia. But in Italy it had a name, with which it is indicated by many, "eternal second ”for having won the“ silver medal ”six times at the Festival di Sanremo. We are talking about him of the "National Toto", Toto Cutugno who turns off well today 76 candles. A career full of greats successes and satisfactions not only in Italy but also in many foreign countries. Let's retrace the most significant stages of his life and his musical journey.
Toto Cutugno, the victory in Sanremo and Eurovision
Composer, lyricist, songwriter but also TV presenter. Toto Cutugno boasts a track record of successes one after the other. He has a long-standing participation in the Festival of Sanremo: as a soloist, as a couple or in a group, he participated in fifteen editions of the review. But he only won one: it was 1980 with the song "Only U.S". And then the numerous placings of the Tuscan singer in second place, which he pleasantly and ironically recalls. And then did you know that thanks to him Eurovision Was the Song Contest broadcast in Italy? In fact in 1990 in Zagreb he won it with the song "Together 1992”And as the review requires, the following year the review took place in Italy, and it was he himself who presented it with Gigliola Cinquetti.
Success abroad: Toto Cutugno among the most loved artists
But it is undoubtedly his internationality that has characterized his career. Because? Simple to have sold the largest number of albums in the world, an estimated 100 million, especially with a success that we all love: "The Italian". And then he performed in many countries to the point of being considered with the nickname of "ambassador of Italian music in the world", like other fellow songwriters. “L'Italiano” has been translated by various artists into different languages, and it was a success that made it popular also in Israel and Iran.
The many collaborations with Italian and international artists
Not just a great singer, Toto Cutugno was a lyricist: he wrote for Dalida, Johnny Halliday, Michel Sardou, Claude François. And again Gigliola Cinquetti, Ornella Vanoni, Domenico Modugno, Adriano Celentano. And precisely for the "spring" he wrote the songs of the album "Il tempo se va" in 1980. But it is also good to remember which songs came second at the Festival and which in any case became great hits. In 1984 "Serenade", In 1987 with"Sons", In 1988 with"emotions". In 1989 with "Mothers", In 1990 with" Gli amori ", in 2005 together with Annalisa Minetti with"Nobody in the world like us".
And in recent years Toto Cutugno has devoted himself to TV, with participation in numerous television broadcasts. But he certainly hasn't put his music aside. Indeed, as he recently wrote on his Facebook page, he is ready to start again. He is involved in an international tour entitled "L'Italiano nel Mondo". "Seeing you and hearing my songs, all together, is what I miss most. But soon we will be back to do it again. Soon I will come back to hug you again".
