Biography of Fabrizio De André

In the shadow of the last Sun

February 18, 1940
January 11, 1999
Fabrizio De André was born on February 18, 1940 in Genova (Pegli) in Via De Nicolay 12 by Luisa Amerio and Giuseppe De André, Professor in some private institutions he directed. In the spring of 1941 professor De André, anti-fascist, given the deteriorating situation due to war, goes in the Asti area looking for a farmhouse where to hide their families and buy in and around Cascina Bricchetto d'Asti, strada Cascina Calunga Dell'Orto where Fabrizio spends part of his childhood with his mother and his brother Robert, eldest of four years. Here the little "Ellen"--as he was nicknamed-learn about all aspects of country life, integrating with the locals and being loved by them. It is in this context that are beginning to show the first signs of interest in music: one day his mother standing on a Chair, with the radio on, intent on directing a symphonic song like a conductor. In fact, legend has it that he was the "country Waltz" of the famous conductor and composer Gino Marinuzzi, from which, over twenty-five years later, Fabrizio will draw inspiration for the song "Valzer per un amore".
In 1945 the De André family back to Genoa, settling into your new apartment in Via Trieste 8. In October 1946 the small Book shall be entered in the elementary school at the Institute of the sisters Marcelline (which he called "pigs") where he began to show his rebellious and nonconformist temperament. The explicit signs of impatience to discipline by the child lead the spouses De André pick it up from the private facility to enroll him in a State school, the Armando Diaz. In 1948, established the flair of his son, Fabrizio's parents, admirers of classical music, decided to let him study the violin entrusting it to the hands of master cats, which identifies for the young student. In ' 51 De André began attending middle school Giovanni Pascoli, on second, but his rejection infuriates his father so that the leaves, for education, to the strictest Jesuit Arecco. Will end then the averages to the palaces.
In 1954, musically, also addresses study guitar with maestro Colombian Alex Giraldo. It is the year after the first public performance at a charity show organized at the Teatro Carlo Felice from Auxilium in Genoa. His first band played country and western genre, turning to private clubs and parties but Fabrizio approaches soon after to jazz music and, in ' 56, discovers the French song as well as the medieval Troubadour. Coming back from France the father brings in gift two 78 rpm of Georges Brassens which the budding musician starts to translate some text. Following high school, high school and finally University (Faculty of law), interrupted six exams from the end. His first album was released in ' 58 (the now forgotten single "Nuvole barocche"), followed by other episodes at 45 rpm, but the artistic breakthrough mature several years later, when Mina the incide "La Canzone di Marinella", which becomes a great success. Among his friends then there are, Luigi Tenco, Gino Paoli, Paolo Villaggio.
In 1962 and his son Christian bride Enrica Rignon. American and French models of time cursing the young songwriter who accompanies with acoustic guitar, which fights against the hypocrisy prevailing bourgeois conventions, bigoted and songs became later historians as "La Guerra di Piero", "Bocca di Rosa", "Via del Campo". Other albums followed, greeted enthusiastically by a handful of connoisseurs but passed unnoticed by critics. As the same fate marked stupendous albums like "the good news" (1970, a reinterpretation of the apocryphal Gospels), and "Non al denaro neither love nor to heaven", the adaptation of his Spoon River anthology, signed along with Fernanda Pivano, not forgetting "story of a clerk" profound work of pacifist brand. Only since 1975 De André, shy and taciturn, agrees to perform on tour. Carmelita was born in 1977, the second daughter from companion Dori Ghezzi. The blonde singer and De André are kidnapped by the Sardinian villa of Tempio Pausania, in their anonymous in 1979.
The seizure lasts four months and leads to the creation of "Indian" in 1981 where the Sardinian culture of shepherds is combined with that of the native Americans. The international dedication comes with "Creuza de ma", in 1984 where the Ligurian dialect and the sound atmosphere of characters and stories tell of smells, Mediterranean port. The disc marks a milestone for the nascent Italian world music and is critically acclaimed as the best album of the year and of the Decade. . In 1988 and 1989 wedding companion Dori Ghezzi, starts a collaboration with Ivano Fossati (giving rise to songs like "these places in front of the sea"). In 1990 he published "the clouds", a great sales success and critical acclaim, which is accompanied by a triumphal tour. Following the live album ' 91 and the theatrical tour of 1992, then a four-year silence, interrupted only in 1996, when he returns to the music industry with "Anime Salve", other disk much loved by critics and audiences. The January 11, 1999 Fabrizio De André died in Milan, died of an incurable disease. His funeral was held on January 13 in Genoa in the presence of more than ten thousand people.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.