Salvatore Adamo was born on November 1, 1943 in the small town of Comiso (Sicily). He was an only son for the first seven years. His father Antonio was a digger and his mother Conchitta is a housewife.
In 1947, Antonio worked as a miner in Belgium. Then he, his wife Conchitta and son emigrated to the city of Glyn.
In 1950, Salvatore suffered from severe meningitis, so he was bedridden for almost a year. From 1950 to 1960 the Adamo family expanded to seven children.
The first victories and the beginning of the career of Salvatore Adamo
In the 1950s, the teenager was endowed with a special voice and passionate about singing. His parents looked at this passion with suspicion at first. Salvatore appeared in various local competitions until Radio Luxembourg organized a big radio competition at the Royal Theatre, not far from his home.
In December 1959, he entered the competition with a song of his own composition, Si J'osais. Salvatore Adamo brilliantly won the competition.
Very quickly, Salvatore released the first single, but it was not very successful.
The discouraged young man thought of resuming his studies. But he did not count on the stubbornness of Antonio Adamo, who decided to be responsible for the fate of his son. Together they went to Paris and started working in showrooms.
After four discs went unnoticed, Salvatore found his first success in 1963 with Sans Toi Ma Mie. This is a romantic and classic name, opposite of yeyé (a combination of American rock and roll and French pop), which is now popular.
He spent his 20th birthday on stage at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels.
On the wings of success Salvatore Adamo
A year later, he chose Olympia for a unique and triumphant evening on January 12, 1965. In September, Adamo first appeared on the stage of the famous music hall.
He was the author and composer of most of his songs. This was a dual privilege that was not very common among young performers. He was a star whose singles sold in the thousands.
In addition, he began long tours abroad, which were very successful. Especially in Japan, Adamo became a real star. Even today, the country is very loyal to the singer, who performed several concerts for Japanese fans every year.
Adamo has traveled extensively and recorded songs in many languages including English, Spanish, Italian, German and Dutch. Unfortunately, the young artist found out about the death of his father on August 7, 1966.
Personal life of Salvatore Adamo
Adamo did not dwell solely on the romantic repertoire. When there was a six-day war between Israel and Egypt in 1967, he wrote the famous text Inch'Allah.
Very often during his career, he touched on many hot topics (the Soviet Union, France, Spain, Lebanon, Bosnia).
In the late 1960s, Adamo married Nicole. And in 1969, the eldest son Anthony was born.
The tireless worker Adamo constantly remained afloat. He toured and sometimes collected huge halls abroad. Salvatore even has the honor of singing several times on the New York stage at Carnegie Hall.
In the early 1980s, a second son, Benjamin, was born, and then a daughter, Amelie. Nevertheless, Adamo continued to work at a fast pace. His performances continued to interest large audiences. From May 2 to May 13, 1983, he performed for the tenth time on the stage of Olympia. In addition, his trips abroad attracted a much larger number of people than in Europe.
In Chile, he sang in front of 30 people. Adamo's records sold in the millions. Continuous work cost the singer dearly, when in May 1984 he suffered a serious heart attack. In July, he underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, so he ceased activities for a long time.
Nostalgia for Salvatore Adamo's work
After health problems and lengthy tours abroad, Adamo returned to the cutting edge of the music scene in the late 1980s. At that time, an incredible wave of nostalgia brought the 1960s and 1970s back into fashion. Countless CD compilations hit the market and exploded in sales.
In 1992, the album Rêveur de Fond was released. Critics appreciated the variety and excellent work in general. The singer was very hardworking, worked efficiently.
In 1993 he returned to the stage of the Casino de Paris, then to the stage of his debut in Mons (Belgium). The compilation C'est Ma Vie was commercially successful in November 1994. Adamo was as popular as at the beginning of his career.
In 1993 he became a volunteer ambassador for UNICEF. Two years later, he recorded a duet with Moran for an organization dedicated to childhood.
At the age of 50, Adamo was even more engaged in his hobby, besides music. He published the poetry collection Les Mots de L'âme in 1995. The artist then devoted himself to painting, an art he found very relaxing.
La Vie Comme Elle Passe
In October 1995, a new album, La Vie Comme Elle Passe, was released, recorded in Brussels and Milan. Adamo surrounded himself with an Italian team that included arranger and producer Mauro Paoluzzi. He then celebrated his 12th birthday at Olympia from 17 to 30 December. The tour was a triumph in Japan and at Carnegie Hall in New York.
A significant number of programs dedicated to the successes of the past years testify to nostalgia. But Adamo's audience didn't wait for that nostalgic wave to continue. The new Regards album was released in 1998.
In the fall of 1999, Adamo began his first French tour in 10 years.
Par Les Temps Qui Court (2001)
2001 is mostly devoted to tours after the release of the new album Par Les Temps Qui Courent, which was released in the spring. Adamo performed at Olympia, in Paris, from February 27 to March 4. The singer's tours are travels around the world. The deadline is scheduled for spring 2002.
He also began writing and published at the end of 2001 the novel Le Souvenir Du Bonheur Est Encore Du Bonheur.
The artist had a brain hemorrhage, he spent almost a year resting at home in Brussels. Salvatore resumed concerts in May 2005.
La Part de l'Ange (2007)
In January 2007, the album La Part de l'Ange was released. On the colorful cover we see Adamo posing in Ragusa (Sicily), his homeland. The songs combine swing, Cape Verdi melodies, wind instruments, guitars (acoustic and electric) and accordion.
Since 1963, the polyglot singer has sold 80 million records. This CD contains compositions: Fleur, La Part de l'Ange, La Couleur du Vent, Mille Ans Déjà and Ce George (s).
Le Bal des Gens Bien and De Toi à Moi
In October 2008, Salvatore Adamo released Le Bal des Gens Bien. This is an album consisting of his own songs, reinterpreted as duets with many French singers: Benabar, Cali, Calogero, Julien Doré, Raphael, Alain Souchon, Yves Simon, Thomas Dutron and others.
Salvatore Adamo embarked on a tour that took him through Quebec in the fall of 2009. Through Olympia and Paris in February 2010. Then the artist went to Cairo, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Japan.
On November 29, 2010, he presented De Toi à Moi (the 22nd album of his career). Salvatore Adamo has returned to his loyal audience since May 2011. He made his first appearance at the Grand Rex cinema in Paris on 28 and 29 May.
As a prelude to his 50-year career, Adamo released The Big Wheel in November 2012. These are 12 new songs recorded under the direction of director François Delabrière.
He toured to present this album in 2013. He also gave two concerts at Olympia on March 26 and 27.
Adamo Chante Becaud (2014)
The album was created back in 2011. But it was released only on November 10, 2014 as a tribute album to Gilbert Beko Adamo Sings Bécaud.
