| Italian pop singer (tenor) Date of Birth: Country: Italy |
Albano Carrisi was born into a humble farming family in His father, fighting in Albania during World War II, named him "Albano" (Albanian) in honor of his wartime experience, despite it not being a traditional Italian name. Splitting his name into "Al Bano," it would become his stage pseudonym.
Despite the hardships of his childhood, Al Bano found solace in singing. At age 12, he composed his debut song, "Addio Sicilia" (Farewell, Sicily), though he never recorded it commercially. At 16, he left home for Milan, determined to pursue his musical aspirations.
The early years in Milan were challenging, forced to work as a waiter, cook, and assembly line worker. In , Al Bano's fortunes changed when he won Adriano Celentano's "New Voices" competition, joining Celentano's "Clan Celentano" production company. That same year, his debut single, "La strada/Devo dirti di no," was released on the Clan Celentano label, marking his entry into the music industry.
True fame came in when his song "Nel sole" (In the Sun) became a resounding hit, followed by the album of the same name. The same year, he starred in a musical film based on the song, where he met American actress and aspiring singer Romina Power, who played the female lead.
From to , Al Bano's music inspired seven additional musical films, in which he and Power starred together. In , he made his debut at the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "La siepe" (The Hedge).
Al Bano and Romina Power married in , their daughter Ylenia being born four months later. The couple released their first joint song, "Storia di due innamorati" (Story of Two Lovers), the same year. In , they welcomed their son, Yari.
In , Al Bano released the album "Antologia," featuring classical opera arias from Puccini, Mascagni, and Donizetti. In , he and Power released their first joint album, "Atto I" (Act One).
In , Al Bano and Power's song "Sharazan" achieved massive international success. In , the duo performed their renowned song "Felicità" (Happiness) at Sanremo, placing second to Riccardo Fogli's "Storie di tutti i giorni." The song catapulted them to worldwide fame. That same year, four of their songs simultaneously topped the Italian charts, setting an enduring record.