Fred Bongusto

Alfredo Bongusto (Campobasso, April 6, 1935), known by his stage name Fred Bongusto, is an Italian light music singer and songwriter who was very popular in the 1960s and 1970s.fact|date=July 2008

Career history

He debuted with the song "Bella Bellissima", which was written by his friend Ghigo Agosti and produced by the Milan-based label Primary. It was released on 45 rpm record in 1960, with "Doce Doce" as B-side. Some of his most successful songs include "Malaga", "Una rotonda sul mare", "Spaghetti a Detroit" and "Prima c'eri tu", which won the 1966-edition of Un Disco per l'Estate. Bongusto was also successful in South America, especially Brazil, and has collaborated with Toquinho and Vinicius de Moraes.fact|date=July 2008

He composed the soundtracks of 24 movies, such as "Malizia", "Superfantozzi" and "Fantozzi contro tutti", and starred in "Obiettivo Ragazze" (1961) and "Peccato Veniale" (1974).fact|date=July 2008

In the 1990s he was elected as a PSI town councillor in Bari. On March 18, 2005, the President of the Council, Silvio Berlusconi, gave him a silver plate commemorating the 50 years of his career, and on July 2, 2006 he was nominated Commendatore by President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.fact|date=July 2008

Personal life

He is married to Gabriella Palazzolifact|date=July 2008, an Italian soubrette very famous in the 1950s and 1960s, who starred in the film "Buonanotte... Avvocato!" with Alberto Sordi. In 1960, Palazzoli had a brief marriage with American actor John Drew Barrymore, who is the father of her daughter Blyth Dolores. Blyth was raised up by Bongusto.

Bongusto enjoys playing football and tennis, and is very goodfact|date=July 2008 at both sports. He enjoys antiquing and reading Tex Willer comics. Bongusto currently spends much of his time in Ischia, in the village of Sant'Angelo, in the places which inspired some of his most beautiful songs.