Bobby Solo (real name Roberto Satti), was born in Rome on March 18, 1945.
He has often been called "The italian Elvis Presley".
Bobby Solo is one of those singers who have been inspired by "The King of Rock'n'Roll" and who brought the style of the great Elvis Presley onto the Italian music scene, back in the mid-60s.

But such a "label" does not do justice to Bobby Solo's brilliant and multi-faceted career. While it is undeniable that Elvis was the starting point from which Bobby built his success, over the years his style has become much more personal and original while at the same time remaining truthful to his musical roots.
Bobby had his debut in 1964 at the prestigious Sanremo music Festival. Paired with the great Frankie Laine, Bobby sang a song that was to become a part of musical history: "Una lacrima sul viso".
This great song was composed by Bobby himself, who dedicated it to his sister. It quickly became a true classic of sixties' music.

Not many people realize that "Una lacrima sul viso" did not win the Sanremo song contest.
On the big night, Bobby was panic stricken, "All Shook Up", as he was later to recount, and unable to utter any sound! Amidst press criticism and scorn, he performed the song "in playback", miming the words to a studio recording of his voice. This disqualified the song from the competition, but gave it the media stage that made it and Bobby an overnight sensation. As it happened, Bobby's partner in the contest, the aforementioned Frankie Laine, was also stricken by a small medical emergency: the cap from one of his front teeth came loose and he had to scramble for a dentist to cement it back into place.

Bobby's career was on the upswing. Still a teenager, he had become a recording star of the first magnitude, selling over six million copies of "Una Lacrima sul viso", the first in a string of internationally acclaimed hits that include: "Quello sbagliato", a song clearly inspired by an Elvis Presley recording, "Se piangi, se ridi", which won the Sanremo Festival in 1965, performed by Bobby and by the "New Christy Minstrels", a group which included artists such as Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes and Barry McGuire.

"Non c'e' piu' niente da fare" is a small masterpiece of sixties' pop and was made popular by a TV series that used it as its opening theme.
More great songs followed, including "Siesta", "Domenica d'Agosto" and "Una granita di limone" (If you can put that in a bottle). These merry tunes accompanied the summer parties of millions of italian teenagers. "Zingara", a song secretly penned especially for Bobby by teen-age idol Gianni Morandi, won the Sanremo Festival in 1969, performed by Bobby Solo and female recording star Iva Zanicchi. The song would later be recorded in English by Connie Francis.

Bobby also recorded the italian version of Scott MacKenzie's "San Francisco" a song that symbolized "Flower Power" and the hippy movement of the late 60s.
In the 70s' a new trend appeared in italian pop music: the socially-conscious singer songwriter. Escapism, represented by the happy-go-lucky music of the 60s' suddenly became passe' and artists like Bobby Solo in Italy and Elvis Presley in the U.S. saw their popularity dwindle and their record sales plummet.

Bobby recalls one instance when he performed in front of an audience composed of only a couple of dozen people!

Things would change, as fads come and go with unerring regularity. After a short hiatus, Bobby's popularity steadily climbed and he rapidly regained his rightful place at the top of the charts.
The song that took him back to the top was, incredibly, his first chart-topper "Una lacrima sul viso" re-recorded in a fast tempoed "Disco" version that would again reach the number one position in 1978. The hit also topped the charts in France and was a major international hit.
"Gelosia" (1980) was another success for Bobby. He composed this song during one of his many South American concert tours. "Non posso perderti" (1981) and "Tu stai" (1982) were also hits and kept Bobby at the forefront of the Italian pop scene.

Through the years and the changing times, Bobby never betrayed his musical roots: Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley's songs and a whole series of romantic ballads remained an integral part of his repertoire.

Now, on the eve of the new millennium, Bobby retains a firmly established following; his fans know that his live performances are never disappointing, that his recordings are always new and exciting and that he is not afraid to try out new challenges and to move in new directions.
He performs to packed audiences throughout Europe and he tours during most of the year. He regularly appears on prime-time television shows. He receives acclaim wherever he goes.

One thing is certain: for Bobby and his fans, the future is full of excitement.
New horizons are just around the corner.

Stay tuned, everybody.

Official Website: www.bobbysolo.com