Nicola Di Bari

Nicola Di Bari, born Michele Scommegna, has spent more than four decades winning over audiences with his heartfelt ballads, performing in both his native Italian and in Spanish, the language he regards as his second tongue. His chart success in Italy began with the 1964 release of his first single, “Amore Ritorna a Casa (Love Returns to the House),” and has continued without interruption ever since.

Born into a poor household in Manfredonia, a city located in the province of Foggia within the Apulian region of central Italy, Di Bari was steered by his parents toward the Archepiscopal Institute Scared Heart of Manfredonia so that he would avoid following them into a life of rural labor. Though naturally gifted as a vocalist, he did not perform publicly until friends persuaded him to appear at a festival honoring the local patron saint in Zapponeta. The enthusiastic reception he received there encouraged him to enter further regional contests and celebrations.

In 1958 he relocated to Milan, where the city’s vibrant musical environment captivated him; he passed many hours in clubs absorbing performances by an eclectic array of artists. An offer to join the Italian pop ensemble SAAR led him to become the group’s frontman. During much of the 1980s Di Bari lived in South America, where he cultivated a following comparable in size and loyalty to the one he enjoyed at home. Among his most notable successes are the songs “La Prima Casa Belle,” “Il Cuore e Uno Zingaro,” “Chitarra Suona Piu Piano,” “I Giorni Dell’Arcobaleno,” and “Il Mondo e Grigio Il Mondo e Blu.”