Al Bano

Italian pop singer Albano Carrisi entered the world on May 20, 1943, in Cellino San Marco. His distinctive stage name, frequently rendered as Al Bano, originated from his father's Albanian posting in World War II. Following the path of many Italian vocalists, he first established his reputation by competing in the country's numerous song festivals and contests. Breakthrough recognition arrived in 1966 at the Festival delle Rose, with a first-place finish at the Disco per l'Estate competition arriving two years later. Those stage successes opened the door to recordings, beginning with the hits "La Siepe" and "Nel Sole." In July 1970 he wed fellow artist Romina Power. During that same year the pair issued their initial joint effort, the duet album Storia di Due Innamorati. The release cemented their status as an Italian favorite and launched a duo partnership that endured for nearly three decades. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Al Bano & Romina Power appeared regularly at the Sanremo Festival and the Eurovision Song Contest, achieving strong placements and building devoted audiences in Italy and Germany. Carrisi resumed solo work in 1996 with E la Mia Vita, his first individual album in almost thirty years. Verso il Sole followed in 1997 and Ancora il Volo in 1999. His 1999 divorce from Romina Power left his creative output undiminished, as he issued one album annually through Cercami nel Cuore della Gente in 2007. A new wave of listeners discovered him in 2005 when he joined daughter Romina Carrisi on the Italian reality series L'Isola dei Famosi.