Jimmy Fontana was a multifaceted Italian artist, known for his work as an actor, composer, and singer-songwriter.
Born Enrico Sbriccoli on November 13, 1934, in Camerino, Italy, Jimmy Fontana's early life was marked by a passion for music. After completing his education, he moved to Rome to study economics, but his true calling was music.
Jimmy Fontana taught himself to play the bass and attended local jazz venues, eventually dedicating himself fully to music. He adopted the stage name Jimmy Fontana in homage to his hero, American musician Jimmy Giuffre.
In the early 1950s, Jimmy Fontana formed his own jazz band, Fontana and his Trio, with piano, bass, and drums. Around this time, he met his future wife, Leda, with whom he had four children: Luigi, Roberto, Andrea, and Paola.
Jimmy Fontana's solo career began in the late 1950s, with his early success including the song "Diavolo" ("Devil"),which won him third place in the Festival of Barcelona. His first single with RCA, "Non te ne andare" ("Don't go"),was released in 1963.
The 1965 song "Il mondo" ("The world"),composed by Jimmy Fontana and Carlo Pes, with lyrics by Gianni Meccia, became a major hit, reaching the top of the charts in Italy and other European countries, as well as charting in Latin America.
Jimmy Fontana also made his debut as an actor in 1965, appearing in two musicarelli, "Viale della canzone" ("Avenue of song") and "008 Operazione ritmo" ("008 Operation rhythm").
Throughout his career, Jimmy Fontana had many hit songs, including "La mia serenata", which won the Disco per l'estate Festival in 1967, and "La nostra favola", which reached 2nd place in the Italian hit parade in 1968.
In 1971, Jimmy Fontana's song "Che sarà", composed with lyrics by Franco Migliacci, was performed by José Feliciano with the Ricchi e Poveri group at the Sanremo Music Festival, winning 2nd prize.
After "Che sarà", Jimmy Fontana stopped writing songs, but continued to tour around Italy for another decade. In 1982, his son Luigi wrote the first part of the music for a new song, which brought Jimmy back to composing and creating again. He completed the song "Beguine" and performed it at the 1982 Sanremo Music Festival, where it placed 6th.
Jimmy Fontana continued to perform with his sons Luigi and Andrea, and also appeared on TV shows until his old age. He died peacefully at his home in Rome in 2013, a few months before his 79th birthday, while still planning concert tours.
