on 29 October 1945) is an Italian singer and musical critic. He is most famous for his Italian cover versions of great international hits. He is also the author of plays and books on the history of Italian music.

Career

Gianni Pettenati started very early winning a music contest when he was 8 years old and acted in a play Pirandello. In April 1965 he won the Festival di Bellaria, then joined a group called the Juniors in 1966 to record "Come una pietra che rotola", a cover version of "Like a Rollin 'Stone originally by Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...

. This was followed by "Il superuomo" again with the Juniors, this time a cover of "Sunshine Superman" by Donovan

Donovan

Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...

, with the B-side being "Puoi farmi piangere", a cover of "I Put a Spell on You

I Put a Spell on You

"I Put a Spell on You" is a 1956 song written by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, whose recording was selected as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It was also ranked #320 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.Although Hawkins'...

" from Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Jalacy Hawkins , best known as Screamin' Jay Hawkins was an American musician, singer, and actor...

".

His greatest success came with "Bandiera Gialla" the Italian version of "The Pied Piper". In 1967 participated in the Sanremo Music Festival with "La rivoluzione" and again in 1968 with "La tramontana".

Pettenati still continues to sing with mostly repertoire of his earlier hits in the 1960s. He was on stage in musical theater "Quei bravi ragazzi", with a history of Italian song told from memory. With Pettenati as story teller there are five artists accompanying him: Delia Rimoldi (actress and singer), Raffaele Koheler (trumpet player of the Banda Osiris and Ottavo Ricther), Maurizio Dosi (actor and accordion player) and Luca Maciachini (vocals and guitar).

Gianni Pettenati is also a musical critic, author of novels, plays and many books on the history of Italian music. His punblished works include:

• "Quelli eran giorni - 30 anni di canzoni italiane", co-authored with Red Ronnie (Edizioni Ricordi)
• "Gli anni '60 in America" (Edizioni Virgilio)
• "Mina come sono" (Edizioni Virgilio)
• "Io Renato Zero" (Edizioni Virgilio)
• "Alice se ne va" (Edizioni Asefi)

Albums

• 1968: Gianni Pettenati 1
• 1973: Par la mort dun sunadur
• 1984: Bandiera Azzurra

Singles

• 1966: "Come una pietra che rotola"/"Siamo alla fine" (Gianni Pettenati & The Juniors)
• 1966: "Bandiera gialla"/"Se mi vuoi così"
• 1967: "Il superuomo"/"Puoi farmi piangere" (Gianni Pettenati & The Juniors)
• 1967: "La rivoluzione"/"Ciao ragazza, ciao"
• 1967: "Io credo in te"/"Lo sbaglio di volere te"
• 1967: "Un cavallo nella testa"/"Vai vai"
• 1968: "La tramontana"/"Voglio tornare a casa mia"
• 1968: "Cara judy ciao (Judy in disguise)"/"Tango"
• 1969: "Les Byciclettes de Belsize"/"Lingering on"
• 1969: "Caldo caldo"/"... e mi svegliavo (col cuore in gola)"
• 1970: "In mezzo al traffico"/"La musica continua"(with the Tombstones)
• 1970: "Candida/É già tardi ormai" (with the Tombstones)
• 1983: "Bandiera gialla"/"Bandiera gialla (instrumental)
• 1984: "Bandiera azzurra"/"Cade la neve"
• 1986: "Come sarà domani"/"Ho perso te"
• 1989: "Tutto è successo all'improvviso"/"Una canzone per non morire"

Released outside Italy

• 1968: "La tramontana"/"La balada de Bonnie and Clyde" (released in Spain)
• 1968: "La tramontana"/"Quiero volver a casa" (released in Argentina)
• 1968: "La tramontana"/"Voglio tornare a casa mia" (released in Brazil)
• 1969: "In mezzo al traffico"/"La musica continua" (released in Spain)

External links

• Gianni Pettenati fan website