Thousands of fans of singer Pino Daniele, who died suddenly of a heart attack on Sunday, gathered on Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples to pay their tribute to the beloved Neapolitan singer.
Italian media reported that as many as 100,000 people from all neighborhoods of Naples headed to the city’s main piazza on Tuesday, some carrying a guitar, others a photo of the artist, and together sang Pino’s most famous songs, including Napule è, Je so' pazz and Nero a metà.
“Naples had to give Pino a final goodbye in “its” piazza,” commented Naples’ mayor Luigi de Magistris.
Pino Daniele’s funerals are scheduled for today at Rome's Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love, followed by burial in the Tuscan area of Maremma. Before burial, Italian media reported, his ashes will be taken to the singer's hometown for public memorials, "to receive the final embrace of his fellow citizens".
In his music style, Daniele was inspired by the likes of Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa and Carlos Santana, and to that he added his particular Neapolitan twist achieving a unique blend of rock, jazz and blues. His debut in the Italian music world was in 1977 with the album Terra mia, a successful mix of Neapolitan tradition and blues sounds. He scored his greatest success in 1980, with the album Nero a metà. That year, he opened Bob Marley’s concert in Milan. During his career, he performed with such music giants as Eric Clapton.
Pino Daniele is considered one of the greatest singer-songwriters in Italian music history.
