Zucchero

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Zucchero
Zucchero on the cover of "Fly", his latest studio album.
Background information
Birth name	Adelmo Fornaciari
Born	September 25, 1955 (age 51)
Origin	Roncocesi, Reggio Emilia , Italy
Genre(s)	Pop rock Soul/Blues Adult Contemporary
Years active	1970–present
Label(s)	Polydor/Universal Music Group
Website	www.zucchero.it

Zucchero, byname of Adelmo Fornaciari (born September 25, 1955), is an Italian rock singer.

1 Zucchero
2 Early career and success in Italy
3 International hits
4 Selected discography
5 External links

[edit] Zucchero

Adelmo Fornaciari was born in Roncocesi, a frazione of Reggio Emilia (Emilia-Romagna). His pseudonym "Zucchero", meaning 'sugar', has been his nickname since a very young age, and was given to him by an elementary school teacher who said he was as sweet as sugar, calling him "marmellata e zucchero" – 'jam and sugar'.

[edit] Early career and success in Italy

His musical career begins in 1970, with several lowly bands such as I ducali, Le nuove luci, Sugar & Daniel, Sugar & Candies and finally with a band named Taxi, with whom he wins the Castrocaro music festival in 1981. He makes his first appearance in the famous Sanremo festival two years later with the songs "Una notte che vola" and "Nuvola". His first album, "Un pò di Zucchero" was released in 1983 with moderate success. With his name finally on the map of Italian music, Zucchero, seeking new challenges, moves to California in 1984.

In California he releases his second album, "Zucchero & The Randy Jackson Band"", in 1985. This album contains his first hit, "Donne", massively successful in Italy.

He releases "Rispetto" and "Blue’s" (with some of the songs written by Gino Paoli) in the following two years. In the tour promoting the album "Blue’s", Zucchero performs a cover of The Beatles' song "With a Little Help from My Friends" with his friend Joe Cocker.

[edit] International hits

In 1988 Zucchero begins translating his songs to promote his music abroad, the song "Bambino io, bambino tu” being the first single to be released in a foreign language, released in Spain as "Bambino yo, bambino tu”. The album "Blue’s" is released the following year in the United Kingdom, and in 1990 "Zucchero sings his Hits in English" is released worldwide. During 1989 he continues singing with Joe Cocker and also performs with Miles Davis. In the famous Arena di Verona he performs with Dee Dee Bridgewater and with Ray Charles. In the meantime "Oro incenso e birra" (1989), the best-selling LP in Italian history, is released.

Zucchero is probably best known internationally for the song "Senza una donna", "Without a woman", which later became a duet with Paul Young and a number 2 hit in 1991 in the latter's native United Kingdom. The song is a great success worldwide, reaching number 1 in most European charts. It's placed in at number 4 in the United States and is included along with "Diamante" in the Baywatch soundtrack.

Between 1991 and 1993 Zucchero continues duetting with some of the world’s most famous artists, such as Sting, Luciano Pavarotti, a young Andrea Bocelli, Elton John, Brian May and Eric Clapton. Many of these duets will later be included in the compilation "Zu & Co." (2004). The album "Miserere" (1992) is released worldwide, available in both Italian and English versions.

His music, in Italian, Spanish and in English, is largely inspired by gospel, blues and rock music, and alternates between syrupy ballads and more rhythmic boogie-like pieces.

European hit singles include "Il volo" (English version: "My love"), "Così celeste", "Baila (sexy thing)", "Diamante" (original Italian lyrics co-written with Francesco De Gregori, foreign version featuring soul singer Randy Crawford) and "Wonderful World" (with Eric Clapton).

Zucchero's 2004 international hit album Zu & Co. featured duets with many music greats, including Miles Davis, Paul Young, Ronan Keating, Sheryl Crow, The Cranberries's Dolores O'Riordan, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Maná, Brian May, and Solomon Burke. The album has sold millions of copies throughout Europe and the rest of the world and entered the Billboard 200 charts after its release in the U.S. in the summer of 2005.

In July 2005, Zucchero took part in the Live 8 concerts in both Rome and Paris.

In September 2006 his latest album, entitled Fly, was released. Produced by Don Was, it includes the singles "Bacco perbacco", "Cuba libre" and "Occhi" and features collaborations with artists such as Ivano Fossati and Jovanotti. The album's track "L'amore è nell'aria" ("The Love Is In The Air"), borrows the instrumental backing to the b-side "Broken" by UK rock band Feeder, but it is a new recording based on the Feeder original rather than a sample taken directly from the recording.

In 2007 Zucchero will tour to promote the Fly album.