Massimo Ranieri, is an Italian pop singer, film and stage actor. He was born in Naples, the fifth of eight children in the family. When he was 10, young Giovanni would sing at restaurants, wedding receptions, etc. He was discovered by a music producer about four years later and was flown to New York to record an EP under the name of Gianni Rock. He recorded four songs in 1964: Tanti auguri signora, Se mi aspetti stasera, Non chiudere la porta, and La Prima Volta. None of the records were successful, primarily because young Gianni's voice was changing. Two years later, he would re-emerge under his new stage name, Massimo Ranieri. In 1966, he made his TV debut singing "Bene Mio". A year later, he made another TV appearance singing, "Piet� per chi ti ama". In 1968, he recorded two more songs: "Da Bambino", Ma L'amore cos'�" and "Preghiera". But it wasn't until 1969 when he achieved success and became a teen idol when he sang "O Sole Mio" on live TV. Soon, in most every TV appearance he made, you could hear the girls screaming in the background. 

May 3rd, 1951 in Naples (Age 72)