Gianni Morandi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gianni Morandi
Morandi in 2005
Background information
Birth name	Gian Luigi Morandi
Born	(1944-12-11) 11 December 1944 (age 80) Monghidoro, Emilia-Romagna, Kingdom of Italy
Genres	Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer actor television personality
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1962–present
Labels	RCA Epic

Gian Luigi Morandi, known to everyone as Gianni Morandi, is a famous Italian pop singer, actor, and TV host. Born on December 11, 1944, he has been a star in Italy for decades. It's believed he has sold around 50 million records, making him one of Italy's most successful artists.

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Gianni Morandi was born in a small town called Monghidoro, Italy. His father was a cobbler, and his family didn't have much money. Because of this, Gianni had to leave school after primary school to get a job.

He worked selling candy in a movie theater. In between films, he would get on stage and sing for the audience. When he was 14, he joined a band called the Scaglioni Orchestra. This was his first chance to tour and perform across northern Italy.

Career

The Swinging Sixties

Morandi and actress Laura Efrikian in the 1964 movie In ginocchio da te.

In 1962, Morandi's big break came after he won a music festival. He signed a contract with the record label RCA Italiana. That same year, he released his first song, "Andavo a 100 all'ora" (I Was Going 100 an Hour). He quickly became a teen idol in Italy.

In 1964, his song "In ginocchio da te" (On My Knees for You) became a huge hit. It won a major song festival and was even turned into a popular movie. He followed this with more hit songs, like "Non son degno di te" (I'm Not Worthy of You). His fame grew, and he even toured in Japan.

Throughout the 1960s, Morandi released one hit after another. Songs like "La fisarmonica" (The Accordion) and the protest song "C'era un ragazzo che come me amava i Beatles e i Rolling Stones" (There Was a Boy Who, Like Me, Loved the Beatles and the Rolling Stones) made him a superstar. In 1967, he had to take a year off for mandatory military service, but he returned in 1968 with more popular songs.

The 1970s: New Challenges

Morandi representing Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 1970.

Morandi started the 1970s with more success. He represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 1970 with the song "Occhi di ragazza" (Girl's Eyes). He also received praise for his acting in the movie A Pocketful of Chestnuts.

However, the middle of the decade was a tougher time for his career. Some of his songs and albums didn't sell as well as his earlier work. In 1976, he had a surprise hit with a children's song called "Sei forte papà" (You're Great, Dad). After this, he decided to take a break from the spotlight to study music at a famous conservatory in Rome.

The 1980s: A Big Comeback

Morandi returned to music in 1980. His career started to pick up again with songs like "Canzoni stonate" (Out-of-Tune Songs). In 1983, he recorded a duet with American singer Amii Stewart called "Grazie perchè" (Thank You Because), which was a big hit.

His comeback was also helped by his acting in popular TV shows. In 1987, he won the famous Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Si può dare di più" (You Can Give More), performing with two other singers, Enrico Ruggeri and Umberto Tozzi.

A year later, he teamed up with another famous Italian singer, Lucio Dalla. Their album, Dalla/Morandi, sold over a million copies. They went on a long and successful tour together.

The 1990s and Beyond

Morandi in 2002, still a popular star.

Morandi continued to be a major star in the 1990s. His 1992 song "Banane e lamponi" (Bananas and Raspberries) is still one of his most famous tunes. He continued to release successful albums and perform at the Sanremo Music Festival.

In the 2000s, he worked with younger artists like Eros Ramazzotti. He also hosted popular TV shows on Italy's main channel, Rai 1. He proved that he could stay popular with new generations of fans.

Recent Years

Morandi has remained very active. In 2011 and 2012, he was chosen to host the Sanremo Music Festival, one of the biggest events in Italian television. In 2019, his old 1964 song "In ginocchio da te" became famous worldwide after it was used in the Oscar-winning movie Parasite.

In 2021, Morandi had a serious accident at home and badly burned his hand. But he recovered and came back strong. He competed in the 2022 Sanremo festival with the song "Apri tutte le porte" (Open All the Doors), written by the popular singer Jovanotti, and finished in third place. The next year, he returned to co-host the festival.

Personal Life

In 1966, Gianni Morandi married actress Laura Efrikian. She had starred with him in several of his popular musical films. They had two children together. The couple divorced in 1979. Morandi has since remarried.

Selected Discography

Morandi has released many albums over his long career. Here are some of his studio albums:

Honours

Gianni Morandi has received several official awards for his contributions to Italian culture.

• Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2005)
• Honorary citizenship of Carloforte (2019)
• Golden Neptune of the City of Bologna (2022)

See also

In Spanish: Gianni Morandi para niños