Rino Gaetano was born in Crotone on this day in 1950.
Italy remembers the late Italian singer-songwriter Rino Gaetano on Wednesday, the 75th anniversary of his birth on 29 October 1950.
More than four decades after his untimely death in Rome at the age of 30, Gaetano and his music remain hugely popular in Italy.
The singer is remembered every summer in the capital where fans from across Italy gather for a live music event called Rino Gaetano Day, organised by his sister Anna and nephew Alessandro Gaetano.
On Wednesday, to mark what would have been his 75th birthday, Gaetano will be celebrated at Largo Venue in Rome with a special musical tribute.
State broadcaster Rai will also screen a programme dedicated to him, called Rino Gaetano, a singer-songwriter with a top hat, on Wednesday at 19.40 on Rai Storia.
Oggi Rino Gaetano avrebbe compiuto 75 anni. In occasione di questo anniversario, #RaiCultura gli dedica lo Speciale “Rino Gaetano, un cantautore con il cilindro”, in onda oggi #29ottobre alle 11.15 e alle 19.40 su @RaiStoria. pic.twitter.com/GFEd87StyJ
— raicultura (@RaiCultura) October 29, 2025
Sony Music Italy will release a new edition of Gaetano’s album E io ci sto, 45 years after its release, out 21 November. The reissue features the classic tracks remastered on CD and vinyl, along with previously unreleased material.
Cinemas in Italy will screen Rino Gaetano Sempre Più Blu, the new film directed by Giorgio Verdelli, from 24-26 November.
Presented recently at the 20th Rome Film Fest, the movie is described as an intimate portrait of the singer-songwriter, a journey through memories and interviews that recount the man behind the legend, celebrating his musical and cultural legacy.
In 2020, Italy marked the 40th anniversary of Gaetano’s death by releasing a stamp in his honour, featuring the smiling musician in his trademark top hat against the background of a blue sky, a reference to one of his greatest hits Ma il cielo è sempre più blu.
Who was Rino Gaetano?
Salvatore Antonio Gaetano was born on 29 October 1950 in Crotone, in Italy’s southern Calabria region, before moving aged 10 to Rome where he would live the rest of his short life.
He made his musical breakthrough in 1975 with Ma il cielo è sempre più blu, a jaunty song about everyday life, littered with irony, clichés and contradictions.
Gaetano soon became known for his satirical songs, which took aim at politicians and supported social protests, all sung in a rough, powerful voice.
His lyrics often landed him trouble, notably with the 1976 song Nuntereggae più, which originally cited prime minister Aldo Moro (before his kidnapping) and journalist Indro Montanelli, whose names were deleted to avoid controversy.
Critical success
Success continued for Gaetano with his second album, Mio fratello è figlio unico in 1976, and his third album the following year, Aida, which featured the hit of the same name.
Noted for its originality, the song is Gaetano’s ode to Italy and its history, told through the figure of Aida.
In 1980 Gaetano recorded his final album E io ci sto, marked by a serious tone and rock sound, whose title track he sang during his last television appearance on 31 May 1981.
Death
Two days later, in the early hours of 2 June, Festa della Repubblica, Gaetano was driving home alone along Rome’s Via Nomentana where he collided with a van at the intersection of Viale XXI Aprile, dying of his injuries a few hours later.
Rino Gaetano is buried in capital’s Verano cemetery and his tombstone reads: Ma il cielo è sempre più blu.
