Rino Gaetano was born in Crotone on this day in 1950.

Italy remembers the late, great Italian singer-songwriter Rino Gaetano on Tuesday, the 74th anniversary of his birth on 29 October 1950.

More than four decades after his untimely death in Rome at the age of 30, Gaetano and his music remain hugely popular in Italy.

The singer is remembered every summer in the capital where fans from across Italy gather for a live music event called Rino Gaetano Day.

In 2020 Italy marked the 40th anniversary of Gaetano's death by releasing a stamp in his honour, featuring the smiling musician in his trademark top hat against the background of a blue sky, a reference to one of his greatest hits Ma il cielo è sempre più blu.

Who was Rino Gaetano?

Salvatore Antonio Gaetano was born on 29 October 1950 in Crotone, in Italy's southern Calabria region, before moving aged 10 to Rome where he would live the rest of his short life.

He made his musical breakthrough in 1975 with Ma il cielo è sempre più blu, a jaunty song about everyday life, littered with irony, clichés and contradictions.

Gaetano soon became known for his satirical songs, which took aim at politicians and supported social protests, all sung in a rough, powerful voice.

Rino Gaetano nasceva il #29ottobre 1950. pic.twitter.com/OtlZ5bwOsh

— raicultura (@RaiCultura) October 29, 2024

His lyrics often landed him trouble, notably with the 1976 song Nuntereggae più, which originally cited prime minister Aldo Moro (before his kidnapping) and journalist Indro Montanelli, whose names were deleted to avoid controversy.

Critical success

Success continued for Gaetano with his second album, Mio fratello è figlio unico in 1976, and his third album the following year, Aida, which featured the hit of the same name.

Noted for its originality, the song is Gaetano's ode to Italy and its history, told through the figure of Aida.

In 1980 Gaetano recorded his final album E io ci sto, marked by a serious tone and rock sound, whose title track he sang during his last television appearance on 31 May 1981.

Death

Two days later, in the early hours of 2 June, Festa della Repubblica, Gaetano was driving home alone along Rome's Via Nomentana where he collided with a van at the intersection of Viale XXI Aprile, dying of his injuries a few hours later.

Rino Gaetano is buried in city's Verano cemetery and his tombstone reads: Ma il cielo è sempre più blu.