Rocky Roberts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Roberts |
| Born | August 23, 1940 Tanner, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | January 14, 2005 (aged 64) Rome, Italy |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1960–2004 |
| Labels | |
Charles "Rocky" 'Roberts (August 23, 1940 – January 13, 2005) was an American naturalized Italian rhythm and blues singer.
Born in Tanner, Alabama, Roberts served in the United States Navy and was a Navy champion boxer. He first got interested in singing after listening to a country-oriented musician named Doug Fowlkes, whose band the Airdales (US-navy slang for Navy pilots) used to perform on the ship where Roberts was stationed. Fowlkes, impressed by Roberts' voice, eventually agreed to let him sit in with the band.[1]
Roberts won a singing competition while on shore leave in Juan-les-Pins, France, and chose to stay in Europe after retiring from the Navy in 1962.[2][1]
Roberts had a stint in France performing at ORTF television show Les raisins verts, and achieved some success with an early version of "T-Bird" and "Monkiss".
In 1965 Renzo Arbore and Gianni Boncompagni invited Roberts to Rome to record the theme of their Radio Show, Bandiera Gialla. The song, "T-Bird", was a hit in the Italian charts and Roberts settled in Rome.
In 1967, Roberts had a major Italian hit, "Stasera Mi Butto", which sold 3.7 million copies[1] and won the Festivalbar.[3] The song's success led to a 1967 motion picture of the same title, starring Roberts. He appeared subsequently in several other Italian films.
He was known for always wearing dark sunglasses.[2][1]
Roberts sang the Luis Bacalov-written theme song from the 1966 film, Django.[4] Quentin Tarantino reused the recording as the opening theme for his 2012 film Django Unchained.[5]
He died of lung cancer in Rome in 2005 at the age of 64.[2]
- ^ a b c d "Italian fans rave for 'Bama Singer", UPI in The Beaver County Times, May 6, 1970.
- ^ a b c "Rocky Roberts, 66; Ex-Boxer Made a Hit Record, Movie in Italy", Los Angeles Times, January 16, 2005.
- ^ "From the Music Capitals of the World: Milan", Billboard, September 30, 1967.
- ^ Núñez Marqués, Anselmo (2006). "Django y Ringo, sucedáneos con identidad". Western a la europea...: un plato que se sirve frío (in Spanish). Entrelineas Editores. p. 124. ISBN 9788498024326.
- ^ Randy Lewis, "Quentin Tarantino discusses the music of 'Django Unchained'", Los Angeles Times, December 25, 2012.