Toto Cutugno, the 'real Italian' beloved in Italy and abroad, has died

Toto Cutugno, born July 7, 1943 – died today, August 22, in the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, where he was hospitalized due to an exacerbation of a long illness, was one of the most beloved singers in Italy and a symbol of Italian melody abroad. Special thanks to ItalianWhich over time became a kind of national anthem. Fifteen entries at the Sanremo Festival (with a landmark performance in 1990 jointly with Ray Charles), author of hits also abroad, from L’Italiano to Il tempo se ne va, La mia musica, Solo noi, to name a few. Cutugno was a true showman, able to transition very easily from songwriting to television hosting (in 1987 he helmed a hit version of “Domenica In”).

Tuscan but grew up in Liguria, and at the age of twenty he founded a group, Toto and Tati, that proposes his songs live. 1975 was the year of great success in France, where Jo Dassin recorded his song L’ete ‘Indien, which became an international hit. And from there the orders multiply: Toto writes songs for Mireille Mathieu, Dalida, Johnny Hallyday, Michel Sardo, Claude François and Hervé Villard. In Italy it was composed by Domenico Moduno, Gigliola Cinquetti, and Ornella Vanoni. He made his debut at the Sanremo Festival in 1976: he took to the Ariston stage with his Albatross group with “Flight AZ 504”. The third comes. Shortly thereafter, “Nel cuore nei sensi”, which he takes part in at Festivalbar, arrives and which leaps to the top of the charts in the French version engraved by Gerard Lenormand. The following year, Albatross returned to Sanremo with another hit by Toto, Gran Premio. An important turning point in ’78 with “Dona Dona Mia”. The “We Bet” short, conducted by Mike Bongiorno, reaches the pinnacle of the hit show.

A fertile period for Cotogno, who also wrote the first song of the great Adriano Celentano, Single. The song that will stay at number one in the charts for months. For the first album, “Voglio l’anima”, it will be necessary to wait until 1979. Then the songs will be recorded by different artists, Italian and foreign, and the title track becomes the theme song for the French TV show “They Will Be Famous”, staying for weeks at the top of the chart hit songs. But there are many successes of the Toto National Festival: Solo noi was launched in Sanremo in 1980 and won: its only triumph in 15 festivals. In the same year he signed all the songs for the album Il tempo se ne va by Adriano Celentano.

After the release of “La mia musica” in 1981, in 1983 with its iconic song, L’Italiano comes only in fifth place, but the song sells millions of records and makes it famous in the world, including Israel, Iran and Korea. At the Ariston Hotel (his fame as the “eternal second” is almost legendary) he will return many more times, as interpreter, author and distinguished host, in a way that is never predictable: in 2010, after a difficult period for health reasons, he arrives in Sanremo with Belén Rodriguez who sings Planes with him.

In 2012, at the invitation of Fabio Fazio, he performed “L’Italiano” with the Red Army Choir. His attachment to the festival is so strong that in 2005 he gave up the Olympia in Paris to participate. And between one festival and another, Toto travels around the world, never standing still, always faithful to his motto: “Let me sing with the harp in my hand, let me sing, I am Italian”.

In 2018, due to illness, he had to cancel his concerts in Belgium. In the same year he felt the satisfaction of singing for the second time in his long career at the Olympia in Paris and Le Monde devoted a page to The Real Italian for the occasion. In 2019, a case broke out in Ukraine: a group of Ukrainian deputies requested by letter to deny entry to Toto Kutugno, who had been giving a concert in Kiev for some time, for alleged pro-Russian positions. He replied that he was “surprised and worried,” always declaring that he was far from politics: “I am apolitical.” Then the story deflates and he is able to sing in front of an excited audience. In 2021 he was happy to hand the baton to Maneskin at Eurovision: he was, in fact, the winner of the European competition in 1990. He was so popular both in Moscow and Kiev after the war started in 2022 that he declared: “I dream of Russian and Ukrainian children together.” “.

From Meloni to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, greetings to Kotogno

Welcome Toto Cutugno, the real Italian. The prime minister writes this on social media Georgia Meloni, posted a photo of the singer-songwriter. “You were a great and true Italian, and we were supposed to meet this summer in Vlora, but God has decided that you rest in peace, while your songs remain forever engraved in the hearts of many Albanians. Thanks for everything, Toto Cutugno, it was wonderful.” The franchise lives simultaneously with a legend like you.” Albanian Prime Minister writes it in Italian Ed Rama. “He left us a great person: with L’Italiano, he was able to make millions sing, and take Italian music to all parts of the world. Bon voyage, Toto Cutugno”, said the League’s leader and deputy prime minister, Matthew Salvini.

“The world of music is losing a famous and important interpreter. An artist, proud to be Italian, also appreciated abroad, whose successes were the soundtrack of an era. He also showed his talent as a composer. I am close to his family and those close to him at this painful moment”, stated the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangioliano.

Le Monde also celebrates Toto Cutugno, a famous singer also in France. His song “A Real Italian”, written by Le Monde newspaper on Twitter, was number two on the chart of hits. It is a song that also achieved great success in Israel, Iran and South Korea. The newspaper states that the song’s video was filmed on the Champs-Elysées in Paris and contained “a series of caricature cliches about Italy and Italians.” Le Monde finally mentions how Cotogno wrote for many French singers, from Michel Sardo to Mireille Mathieu, Joe Dassin, Sheila and Johnny Hallyday.

Greetings from colleagues, from Bosini to Bobo, Alm Bodo

“Toto, my dear and beloved friend. Companion to countless and unforgettable moments of entertainment and life, I wish you a pleasant journey. I will miss you.” Thus Enzo Genazzi in art childHe greets his friend, the artist, with whom he shared a podium in Sanremo in 1980 when Toto Cotonio won the Solo Nuit and finished third in the Sou de Nuit.

“Greetings to Toto Cutugno. An artist who truly represents our country. It was common to share the same stages all over Europe. Have a nice trip…”. like Angelo Brandwardi in Facebook.

She wrote, “Toto Cutugno was an artist, man, and a kind and gentle Italian. I have so many memories attached to him and I am sincerely sorry for his passing. Hugs to his family and fans from all over the world.” Laura Pausini.

“I’m sad, Toto Cutugno was a good person. A very big loss for me, I’m sad. A big loss for all Italians and for those who love music. He looked angry, instead he was closed off because he was sad and not so sad,” he says. Goofy Bodo. “It was in Sanremo in 1983 that I immediately knew that the Italian was going to become a worldwide hit”, concludes Bodo.

“Toto Cutugno, the true Italian, is gone… Composer and interpreter of the great Italian tradition. He wrote one of the most famous Italian songs in the world, L’Italiano. We have always known each other. Hey Toto, your music soars in the sky.” Gianni Morandion Facebook, remember fellow.