Zucchero
Zucchero (Adelmo Fornaciari) was born on 25 September 1955 in Roncocesi, a rural town in the province of Reggio Emilia.
He got his nickname (sugar) at primary school because the teacher called him zucchero e marmellata, sugar and jam (although some maintain that the name was due to his pink, puffy cheeks). A farmer's son, he still feels a strong tie with his home town even though he now lives in Tuscany.
His notoriety improved dramatically in 1985 when he presented the track "Donne" at Sanremo music festival with the Randy Jackson Band. They finished eighth, but the song, a reggae aimed at a teenage audience, was a big hit.
His highly original blend of black music and Mediterranean melodies has made him popular both in Italy and abroad and won him acclaim with a large number of British and US stars.
