Zucchero Fornaciari was born in a small village near Reggio Emilia in Italy in 1955. Both his mother and father came from rural families. He sang choir in the local church as a boy and at the age of 12 he discovered the American genre of soul and blues music through his African American friend. This would go on to be an influential force in Zucchero’s musical style. Today, he is known worldwide as the father of the “Italian blues” where he has merged together American blues music and Italian music, creating a symbiosis of musical styles.

Most importantly, through Zucchero’s music (Zucchero meaning “Sugar” in Italian), he shares messages of love and stories of love, which is also signature to his musical style. He has had historic musical collaborations with the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, and U2. He has a friendship with Bono, who has written a song for him in the past, “Streets of Surrender.” Zucchero may not be as widely known in the US, but his impact on Italian culture is immense and he brings such a depth of understanding to music in general that the world is blessed to have his gifts.