Biography
Beginnings
Leali begins his musical career as singer in several bands in his native Brescia. He released his first single in 1962 as Fausto Denis, for the enigmistic magazine Nuova Enigmistica Tascabile.[1]
Then he joined a group from Alessandria, the Novelty,[2] which have already released a EP in 1961. With the group he manages to obtain a contract for the Music record company,[3] and begins to release singles, including two covers of Beatles songs, Please please me and Lei ti ama (She Loves You).[4] The other tracks released in the period were also fully part of the beat stream, and most of them was included in the first album, published in 1965. In 1966 Leali an the band Novelty changes their label from Music to Ri-Fi.
The breakthrough
His first real success is A chi in 1967 (Italian version of an 1954 American song "Hurt" by Roy Hamilton, which will be released years later also by Francesco De Gregori[5] ). In the same year he takes part for the first time in the Tv festival Un disco per l'estate, with Senza di te, but dont goes beyond the first round.[6][7]
The following year he married the singer Milena Cantù, former member of Clan Celentano,[3] from whom he had a daughter, Deborah.
He was nicknamed "The black white" (Negro bianco) for his voice. In 1969, 1971 and 1974, he cames back to Un disco per l'estate festival with songs Tu non meritavi una canzone,[8] Si chiama Maria,[9] and Solo lei.[10] After a period of obscurity, he cames back to fame in 1976 with single Io camminero which reached the top of charts,[11] and in 1980 with an intense performance of famous Totò's song Malafemmena. In late 1980s he had several successful performances at Sanremo festival; in 1987 with Io amo (4th place),[12] 1988 with Mi manchi (5th place)[13] and in 1989 in duet with Anna Oxa, with song Ti lascerò which won the contest.[14] The same year Oxa and Leali represented Italy in Eurovision festival with Avrei voluto.[15] He cames back to Sanremo in 2002, with Ora che ho bisogno di te, sung in duet with Luisa Corna,[16] and next year with hugely successful, platinum disc single Eri tu.[17][4]
After taking part in 2006 in Rai Due reality show "Music Farm", where he reached the finals,[18] he released as songwriter a new album Profumo e Kerosene, with 10 new songs, all with different musical style.
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