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Alberto Rabagliati (27 June 1906 – 8 March 1974) was an Italian jazz singer.[1][2]
Early career
Alberto Rabagliati was born in Milan in 1906 and was the son of a Piedmontese couple: his father Leandro Valentino Rabagliati and his mother Delfina Besso were both natives of Casorzo, a comune (municipality) in the hills of the Montferrat in the Province of Asti (Italy). In 1927, he moved to Hollywood after winning a Rudolph Valentino look-alike contest. He later recalled: "For someone like me, who had seen no more than Lake Como or Monza Cathedral so far, finding myself on board a luxury steamer with three cases full of clothes, a few rolls of dollars, grand-duchesses and countesses flirting with me was something extraordinary".[3] He remained in America for four years, but his career as an actor never took off. However, during his stay he had the opportunity to get to know new musical genres such as jazz, swing, and scat singing.
Back in Europe, he became a singer. After a brief period with Pippo Barzizza's orchestra, he joined the Lecuona Cuban Boys, a Cuban band. He performed in blackface and made a hit with the song "Maria la O".
While with the Lecuona Cuban Boys, he met Giovanni D'Anzi who suggested that he audition with the Italian state radio station EIAR. Rabagliati soon became a radio star, and in 1941 had his own radio show. Every Monday night EIAR (RAI) aired Canta Rabagliati ("Rabagliati sings"), with the singer presenting his most famous songs such as "Ma l'amore no", "Mattinata fiorentina", "Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina", "Silenzioso slow", "Bambina innamorata".
He was so popular that his name was sung in the lyrics of La famiglia canterina, Quando canta Rabagliati, Quando la radio. At a time when anything foreign was banned, the idol Rabagliati was allowed to maintain his American-influenced style. Indeed, the Fascist government decided to make use of his popularity by choosing his song "Sposi (c'è una casetta piccina)" ("Wed (there's a little home)") as their demographic campaign anthem.
