Peppino Di Capri, one of the most beloved artists of Italian music, has passed away at the age of 87. The singer died in his home in Capri, in Villa Castiglione, where he had always lived, after a long illness. With him disappears one of the last great protagonists of Italian song of the twentieth century, author and performer of timeless hits such as Champagne, Roberta And Melancholy.
Born in Capri on 27 July 1939 with the name Giuseppe Faiella, he demonstrated extraordinary musical talent from an early age. He held his first concerts while still very young in front of the American soldiers present on the island after the Second World War, an experience that he himself remembered as the beginning of his long career.
Success came at the end of the 1950s, when he managed to merge American rock’n’roll with the Italian melodic tradition. Songs like Let’s Twist Again, It’s not a sin, St. Tropez Twist, Roberta and above all Champagne they consecrated him as one of the protagonists of Italian pop music, conquering the public for over six decades.
Two triumphs at the Sanremo Festival
The relationship with the Sanremo Festival has marked much of his career. He participated in the event fifteen times, winning in 1973 with A great love and nothing more and in 1976 with I don’t do it anymore. In 2023 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the City of Sanremo, recognition of the contribution made to Italian music.
In 1991 he also represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest with How is the sweet seafinishing in seventh place.
The stage name born by chance
The famous pseudonym was born almost for fun during his recording debut. Having to choose a more effective name than his real surname, Giuseppe Faiella, it was the guitarist of his band who suggested him to combine the nickname “Peppino” with the place that best represented him: Capri. Thus was born “Peppino Di Capri”, a name destined to enter the history of Italian music.
A life linked to his island
Despite his international success, Peppino Di Capri always remained deeply attached to his island, where he returned after each tour and where he chose to live until his last days.
On a personal level he was first married to the model Roberta Stoppa, with whom he had his son Igor. In 1978 he married the biologist Giuliana Gagliardi, with whom he had two more children, Edoardo and Dario. The death of his wife in 2019, after a long illness, represented one of the most painful moments of his life.
A timeless musical legacy
Even in recent years Peppino Di Capri has continued to perform live, maintaining a strong bond with the public. His songs have accompanied entire generations of Italians, becoming the soundtrack of weddings, parties and moments of everyday life.
His repertoire continues to be an integral part of the history of Italian music, testifying to the talent of an artist capable of crossing eras and fashions without losing his own identity. With his passing, an important chapter of Italian song closes, but the melodies that made Peppino Di Capri one of the most elegant and recognizable performers on the national musical scene remain immortal.
