Luigi Tenco's Unpublished Letters and Interviews Collected in New Book

A new volume titled "Luigi Tenco. Lontano, lontano. Lettere, racconti, interviste" (Il Saggiatore) collects 440 pages of the Italian singer-songwriter's writings and interviews, curated by Enrico Deregibus and Enrico de Angelis. The book includes poetic letters to his mother, diaries, school essays, interviews, and unpublished material, offering a direct insight into Tenco's anticonformist and profound personality. Deregibus, also organizer of the Amnesty International Italy prize "Voci per la Libertà" and artistic director of the PeM festival in Monferrato, discusses Tenco's legacy: his existential nonconformity, his love for diverse music genres (rock & roll, jazz, beat, French chanson, Italian folk), and his often overlooked humorous side. Tenco (Cassine, 1938 – Sanremo, 1967) is remembered for his sensitivity and melancholy, but the book reveals a joyful and playful character. The project started with little material but grew thanks to contributions from the Tenco family and collectors. Deregibus also comments on the political nature of the Sanremo stage, citing Ghali and Dargen D'Amico, and emphasizes the importance of artists' freedom to address social issues, a path Tenco pioneered with protest songs.