Pierangelo Bertoli

Despite opting for a subdued public presence, Italian singer-songwriter and rocker Pierangelo Bertoli never attained the prominence achieved by fellow Reggio-Emilians Vasco Rossi, Lucio Dalla, and Ligabue, even though he functioned as a mentor to the latter two. Across the three decades during which he issued albums, Bertoli nonetheless carved out a lasting and meaningful place in the consciousness of many compatriots. Born November 5, 1942, in Sassuolo, he collaborated with numerous other musicians before delivering his first full-length effort in 1976; Eppure Soffia displayed several traits that would define his work, among them leftist lyrics that addressed social issues and frequently offered pointed criticism, an emphasis on cultural roots and traditions (two songs appeared in the Sassuolo dialect), and depictions of flawed characters.

Releasing roughly one album annually over the ensuing decade, including 1977’s Il Centro del Fiume, 1979’s A Muso Duro, and 1981’s Certi Momenti—the last of which contained his biggest hit, “Pescatore”—reinforced Bertoli’s position in the Italian rock world. Only in 1991 did he make his debut at the radio-oriented San Remo Festival, performing “Spunta la Luna dal Monte” with a traditional Sardinian band; the following year he presented “Italia d’Oro,” which condemned the country’s widespread political corruption and referred to it as Tangentopoli, a coined term often translated into English as “Bribeville.” After parting ways with his label Ricordi in 1995, Bertoli stayed occupied writing and producing for other artists while also finding time to compose “Juvecentus,” a rallying anthem for the Turinese soccer club, in 1998, and he began work on a new album in 2002. Before it could be finished, however, Pierangelo Bertoli—who had lived most of his life in a wheelchair because of polio complications—died shortly before his sixtieth birthday.