Camilo Sesto

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2013)
Unbalanced scales.svg
 The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (May 2011)
Camilo Sesto
Camilo sesto.jpg
Camilo Sesto, 1977.
Background information
Birth name Camilo Blanes Cortés
Born (1946-09-16) September 16, 1946 (age 66)
Alcoi, Alicante, Spain
Origin Alcoy, Spain
Genres Pop Rock
Occupations Vocalist Producer Composer
Website Official site

Camilo Blanes Cortés (born September 16, 1946), better known as Camilo Sesto, is a Spanish singer, composer and producer who enjoyed fame during the 1970s and the 1980s. Probably the most prominent male voice of Spanish pop music at that time, he became famous for his powerful, carefully arranged ballads, pop and rock music. Since his debut, Camilo Sesto has sold an estimated than 175 million records worldwide.[1]

Contents

Life [edit]

Camilo Sesto was born in Alcoy, Spain, a city located in the province of Alicante, on September 16, 1946. Sesto sang in two pop bands during the 1960s and won a contest in a Madrid TV show. He also played a part in the Spanish filming of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Later, he teamed up with singer and producer Juan Pardo.

Sesto took a rest in 1987 to take care of his newborn son. In Mexico, DJs stopped playing his music and most of his fan base was lost. This bulletin did not make it to TV or radio in the United States due to marketing.

Sesto has or had homes in Torrelodones, near Madrid, and Coconut Grove (Miami area), Florida.

Career [edit]

Middle sixties mark the beginning of Camilo Sesto's career. After editing his first record - with his band Los Dayson, in 1965 they travel to Madrid to appear on "Salto a la Fama"; a Spanish Television's program. In 1966 Sesto joins another band, Los Botines. In 1967 the band appeared in a film "El flautista de Hamelín" and later Sesto was a protagonist on another film, "Los chicos del Preu" (directed by Pedro Lazaga.

In 1970, Sesto recorded various singles like: "Llegará el Verano" y "Sin Dirección", with the artistic name "Camilo Sexto". He became his own producer and other artist's. His solo career started in 1970 and in the same year he won the "Revelación" price, in the festival "Olés de la Canción".

In 1971 and under his artistic name "Camilo Sesto" (with "s" not "x"), he appeared on Spanish TV's program "Buenas Noches" singing "Algo de Mí" (his first No.1 record). Algo de Mi reached the No1 in Spain and most of the Spanish speaking world, and maintaining that top position for a whole year in most of Latin-America.

In 1972 Camilo Sesto received his first "Disco de Oro" price. On the same year he sold the LP "Solo un Hombre" with songs like: Amor Amar, Fresa Salvaje, Como Cada Noche, Con Razón o Sin Razón y To Be a Man (for which he was nominated for the best foreign song price).

In 1974 his success as a pop singer continued with record sales escalating rapidly. His concerts took him round the world with songs like: "¿Quieres ser mi amante?", "Llueve sobre mojado", "Ayudadme", "Isabel", "Déjame participar en tu juego", "Madre". He received further "Discos de Oro" for selling millions of records.

On the 6th November 1975 Camilo Sesto started his Spanish production of Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesucristo Superstar) in the Alcalá-Palace Theatre in Madrid (Spain). It was an expensive production; which Camilo financed entirely. His work was a success and received excellent critics. The public filled the theatre and shows were extended to four months. Both in terms of interpretation and musically speaking, Camilo Sesto's show was considered of great quality. Andrew Lloyd Webber, admitted that this was the only production that could equal the original American version. After successfully starring in the Spanish version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Jesus Christ Superstar, Sesto continued gaining fame as a singer and composer. Year after year, he had reached the top of the charts all over America, Latin America and in Spain, leaving us classics like Algo de mí (Something of me) (1972), Amor...Amar (Love.. to love) (1972), Melina (1975), a song about Melina Mercouri, ¿Quieres ser mi amante? (Do you want to be my lover?) (1974), Jamás (Never) (1975), El Amor de mi Vida (The Love of my Life ) (1978), Perdóname (Forgive me) (1981), the latter being his most successful hit and other as Donde estés, con quien estés, Amor de mujer (1984) and the classic "Amor Mío, ¿Qué Me Has Hecho?" (My love, what have you done to me?) (1991), number one in the Billboard magazine, plus several hits around the whole world. During the 70s,80s Sesto created many hit songs and a great fortune, and almost every song came from his sole inspiration, being the author, interpreter, composer, and producer of all of his works. They catapulted him as a consummate multi-talented artist. Between the years 1980 and 1991 he composed the song and sang the theme for Colorina with Lucía Méndez. As Colorina was one of the most successful telenovelas in the 80s, he also produced for it a pop ballad hit album named Cerca de ti.

Camilo sings mostly in Castilian Spanish, but has also recorded songs in Catalan - Valencian, English, Italian and Portuguese as well. He has also recorded some albums in English.

After recovering from a liver transplant, in 2003 he managed to make a successful comeback with his album Alma, surprising the audience with the song "Mola mazo" ("It rules") in an exercise of self-assertion. The Alma CD includes some songs in English: Selections from The Phantom of the Opera and a duet with Andrea Bronston. Camilo Sesto returned to the scenario back in 2004 in to the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. His old fans and new ones cheered the great Spaniard as he sang songs from his catalog. By the end of the festival Sesto left Viña del Mar 2004 with many awards.

His last musical work was the singing of Bujalance football team hymn (a Spanish football team).

In September 2009 he announced that he would play his retirement shows to say goodbye to his fans. He would tour the Americas (U.S., Mexico, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, and other countries). In October 2010, he gave his last two concerts in Madrid, which were recorded to be released as his first (and last) live album.

As of May 2011, Camilo Sesto started his farewell tour "La Gira del Adiós":

May 28 Camilo Sesto is honored in Las Vegas and was awarded the prize, "Maximo Orgullo Hispano" is proclaimed "Dia De Camilo Sesto" in Nevada.

Discography [edit]

He also has published several collections of hits, including some double CD, have been record sales.

References [edit]

  1. ^ Camilo Sesto Datos Personales (ABC (newspaper))

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Camilo Sesto
Authority control
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Camilo_Sesto&oldid=554660859"