Revered Italian singer-songwriter Pino Daniele has died at 59 years old after suffering a heart attack.
A self-taught guitarist, Daniele rose to Western prominence playing with Eric Clapton, Richie Havens, Pat Metheny and more. By through infusing jazz and blues within his native Neapolitan music, and grew to become one of Italy’s most popular artists.
Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris has declared a day of mourning for the local hero.
“I still have his music in my ears,” Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said. “He had an incredible voice … his guitar playing was precious and he had a rare sensitivity that was tinged with passion and melancholy that will continue to tell the story of our country to the whole world.”
Daniele frequently defined his music with the term “taramblu,” a unique mix of tarantella, blues and rumba. He was also known for his composing work, scoring and soundtracking many Italian films, including those by the late Neapolitan actor and director Massimo Troisi.
His last tweet, on January 1st, read “on my way back home.”
