Edoardo Bennato, Italian Singer-Songwriter, Turns 73

Edoardo Bennato, born in Naples on July 23, 1946, celebrates his 73rd birthday. A multi-instrumentalist and one-man band, he was the first artist to fill Milan's San Siro stadium with over 60,000 people. Influenced by Bob Dylan, Paul Anka, and Smith, as well as 1950s rock 'n' roll and Neapolitan singers like Renato Carosone, Aurelio Fierro, and Peppino di Capri, Bennato began his career writing songs for others, including Formula 3 with Mogol. His debut album "Non farti cadere le braccia" (1973) was labeled experimental. In 1980, he released two albums: "Uffà! Uffà!" and "Sono solo canzonette," which brought him mainstream success. His song "L'isola che non c'è" from the Peter Pan-inspired album remains popular. Bennato also co-wrote "Un'estate italiana" with Gianna Nannini for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. His discography includes 18 albums, the most recent being "Pronti a salpare" (2015).