Italy: Nunzio Gallo died at the age of 80

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by Stella Floras February 24, 2008 9:52 pm 287 views

The 1957 Italian participant at the Eurovision Song Contest passed away one month before his 80th birtday. Nunzio Gallo represented Italy in the second contest ever, held in Frankfurt, with the longest recorded song ever to be performed on a Eurovision stage.

Born in Napoli in March 1928, the "voice of Napoli", Nunzio Gallo , was a popular singer as well as an actor having taken part in over 20 films, the last one in 2005. Nunzio Gallo represented Italy in the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest with Corde della mia chitarra, the longest Eurovision entry ever, running a full 5.09 minutes, before the three minute maximum rule was established. He placed sixth among ten entries. The song, performed by Claudio Villa and Nunzio Gallo, had won the SanRemo festival before embarking for Frankfurt.

Nunzio Gallo suffered severe brain haemorrhage last September from which he never fully recovered. He passed away one month before his 80th birthday on 22nd February.

Special thanks to Alessandro Banti and Marco for the information.

Stella Floras

Thanks to Johnny Logan and Hold me now I fell in love with the Eurovision Song Contest, a love that's been going strong ever since with undiminished passion. My first memories date back to 1977 and the lyrics of Rock bottom, Dschinghis Khan and A ba ni bi are still engraved in my brain.

I joined esctoday.com in 2006 as a junior editor after being invited by Barry Viniker, I soon became Senior Editor and during the 2007 contest in Helsinki I was appointed Head of Communications. Today I hold the post of Head of Human Resources and I am proud to be working with the best editorial team in the world.

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