Camilo Sesto

Biography

Camilo Sesto (Camilo Blanes Cortés, Alcoy, Alicante, Spain, 16 September 1946 – 8 September 2019) was a Spanish pop singer, music producer and songwriter of romantic pop and rock ballads in the Latino genre. Sesto sang in two pop bands during the 1960s and won a contest in a Madrid TV show. He played a part in the Spanish filming of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Later, he teamed up with singer and producer Juan Pardo, but success would come on its own accord, with his own music works. Camilo Sesto has s...

Camilo Sesto (Camilo Blanes Cortés, Alcoy, Alicante, Spain, 16 September 1946 – 8 September 2019) was a Spanish pop singer, music producer and songwriter of romantic pop and rock ballads in the Latino genre. Sesto sang in two pop bands during the 1960s and won a contest in a Madrid TV show. He played a part in the Spanish filming of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Later, he teamed up with singer and producer Juan Pardo, but success would come on its own accord, with his own music works. Camilo Sesto has sold over 175 million albums worldwide, excluding sales of all artists who helped and produced. More than 40 productions for him and other artists, would add up in total between 300 and 400 million albums sold throughout his career and that of others.

As a composer, he wrote songs for artists such as Ángela Carrasco, Miguel Bosé, Lucía Méndez, Charytín Goyco and José José, among others. Camilo produced and translated the lyrics to Spanish, of an album from the popular Australian band Air Supply. Throughout his career he remained as one of the most influential pioneer artists of rock/ballad in Spanish, that would inspire many newer acts in the Latino music world as well as across Europe.

The Mid sixties marked the beginning of Sesto's career. After editing his first record - with his band Los Dayson, in 1965 they traveled to Madrid to appear on Televisión Española's Salto a la Fama. In 1966, Sesto joined another band, Los Botines. In 1967 the band appeared in the film Los chicos del Preu. 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 career started in 1970 and in the same year he won the "Revelación" price, at the "Olés de la Canción" festival.

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 Number 1 slot in Spain and most of the Spanish speaking world, and it maintained that top position for a whole year in most of Latin-America. In 1972, Sesto received his first "Disco de Oro" ("Gold Record") award. That same year, he released the LP "Solo un Hombre" with songs like: Amor... Amar, Fresa Salvaje, Como Cada Noche, Con Razón o Sin Razón and To Be a Man (for which he was nominated for the best foreign song award). In 1973, he represented Spain with the song "Algo Más" in the second edition of the OTI Festival, which was held in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte. In 1974 his success as a pop singer continued with record sales escalating rapidly. His concerts took him round the world with such songs as "¿Quieres ser mi amante?", "Llueve sobre mojado", "Yo soy así", "Isabel", "Déjame participar en tu juego" and "Mienteme". He received further "Discos de Oro" for record sales.[citation needed]

On 6 November 1975, Sesto starred in the role of Jesus on the Spanish version/adaptation by Jaime Azpilicueta of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar at the Alcalá-Palace Theatre in Madrid (Spain). The production was very costly as he financed it entirely. His work was a success and received excellent criticism. The public filled the theatre and shows were extended to four months. Both in terms of interpretation and musically speaking, 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 "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, with songs like Algo De Mí (Something in me) (1971–72), 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, among others being Donde estés, con quien estés (“Wherever you are, whoever you’re with”) (1980), Amor de mujer (“love of a woman”)(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 on November 1991, plus several other hits around the world.

He survived a liver transplant, in 2003 and 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. Sesto returned to the stage in 2004 at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. Sesto won many awards at Viña del Mar in 2004. His last musical work was the singing of Bujalance's football team's hymn.

In 2008, Camilo announced his retirement from the studio, and in September 2009 he announced that he would go on a farewell tour. He would tour the Americas (U.S., Mexico, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, and other countries) for the next two years. In October 2010, he gave his last two concerts in Madrid, which were released as his first "live" (and also last) album. A live DVD called "Todo de Mí" recorded in Madrid, was released around the same time.
In 2011, he was awarded the "Highest Hispanic Pride" medal in Las Vegas,.U.S. That day was proclaimed Camilo Sesto's Day in Nevada.
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