Otello Profazio

Otello Profazio was born in Rende (CS) 26/12/1934. debuted in 1952 participating at the musical contest "Il microfono è vostro" with the song "'U Ciucciu", which gave rise to a long carrier spanning ~70 years. He was not only a singer but a researcher and a divulgator of traditional folk music of Italy, with special focus on Sicily and Calabria. In fact he directed a radio program called "Quando la gente canta" for 13 years where he promoted many folk singers , like Eugenio Bennato and presented his researches of folk tradition (stories, proverbs and songs) from all over Italy by interviewing folks. He got large critical praise with the following albums: - Il Brigante Musolino (1963) , a musical recount of life events of the famous brigant Giuseppe Musolino; - Il treno del sole (1964), consisting of Ignazio Buttitta's poems set to music; - Storie e leggende del sud (1965), which includes some of his most famous songs, like Vitti 'na crozza, La leggenda di Colapesce, La baronessa di Carini, La canzone del flauto. Most important achievements: - Contributed to produce ~80 LPs within COLLANA FOLK CETRA (1972-1979) by G. Governi; - His LP Qua si campa d'aria (1974) was awarded a gold record, selling a million copies: only italian folk singer reaching such goal; - Premio internazionale di studi demoetnoantropologici SALOMONE MARINO-PITRÈ - CITY OF PALERMO - Edition 1999; - PREMIO LUIGI TENCO - Edition 2016. Otello Profazio died on 24th July 2023, at the age of 88.