Jimmy Fontana

Jimmy Fontana was born Enrico Sbriccoli in 1934. He started releasing music in postwar Italy, putting out his debut single 'Non Stasera Maria' in 1959. His big break came a few years later with 'Il Mondo,' a ballad that found an audience far beyond Italy.

That song, along with others like 'Che Sarà' and 'L'amore Non È Bello Se Non È Litigarello,' defined his sound in the 1960s. He wasn't just a singer; he wrote much of his own material. Later in the decade, he worked with a band called The Showmen, which had a hit with 'Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina).'

His career had its complications, including a copyright lawsuit over 'Il Mondo' and various personal troubles that were often in the papers. He kept recording through it, though his output slowed in later years. People still play his songs, especially the early ones that carry a particular, straightforward ache.