Luigi Tenco
| Luigi Tenco | |
|---|---|
Luigi Tenco in 1967
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Luigi Domenico Tenco |
| Also known as | |
| Born |
21 March 1938 Cassine, Alessandria, Italy |
| Origin | Genoa, Italy |
| Died | 27 January 1967 (aged 28) Sanremo, Imperia, Italy |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, actor |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1953–1967 |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | |
Luigi Tenco (21 March 1938 – 27 January 1967) was an Italian singer, songwriter. After his alleged suicide, he became an icon of love and despair. The true causes of his death have not yet been agreed upon.
Tenco was born in Cassine (province of Alessandria) in 1938, the son of Teresa Zoccola and Giuseppe Tenco. He never knew his father, who died in unclear circumstances. It has been rumored, that Luigi Tenco was the fruit of an extramarital relationship of his mother.
Tenco spent his childhood in Cassine and Ricaldone until 1948, when he moved to Liguria, first to Nervi and then to Genoa, where his mother had a wine shop. During high school, Tenco founded the Jelly Roll Morton Boys Jazz band, in which Tenco played the clarinet and another singer, later to become famous, Bruno Lauzi, the banjo. Gino Paoli, also a future famous Italian singer-songwriter, was a member of the later Tenco band, I Diavoli del Rock (The Rock Devils).
Tenco made his debut in the world of Italian professional music with the band I Cavalieri (The Knights), which included Giampiero Reverberi and Enzo Jannacci amongst others. During this period he used the pseudonym Gigi Mai. In 1961 Tenco released his first single under his real name, entitled "Quando" ("When").
In 1962 Tenco began a short-lived cinematic experience, with Luciano Salce's movie La Cuccagna. He also collaborated on the soundtrack to the film. During this period he also formed a strong friendship with the Genoese anarchist poet Riccardo Mannerini. In 1963, however, his friendship with Gino Paoli broke up, due to a troubled relationship with the actress Stefania Sandrelli.
Tenco's first LP was released in 1962, Ballate E Canzoni. One of the songs, "Cara Maestra" ("Dear Teacher"), was censored by the then thriving Italian media censorship. The censors struck again in the following year, against his songs "Io Sì" ("I Do") and "Una Brava Ragazza" ("A Nice Girl"). In September 1964, he released "Ho capito che ti amo" a song written by him with musical arrangement Ezio Leoni. It was released on the Italian record label Jolly as Side A of a 45 rpm side B being "Io lo so già".
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