Nino Ferrer

Nino Agostino Arturo Maria Ferrari, known as Nino Ferrer (15 August 1934, Genoa, Italy – 13 August 1998, Saint-Cyprien, France), was an Italian-born French singer-songwriter, painter and author.
Ferrer started playing double bass in a Jazz trio in the '50s, accompanying [a2477750] and [a282285].
Perhaps best known in France for a string of comedic hits in the '60s and in Italy for RnB protest songs such as La Pella Nera, Ferrer had a complicated relationship with the music industry, feeling his public persona and recognition at odds with his artistic aspirations.
His 1975 classic Le Sud exemplifies this relationship: a million selling single in France, its success eclipsed the English language album it was taken from, [m=379410], which only enjoyed cult status.
He continued releasing music during the '80s and '90s, often collaborating with [a=Mickey Finn], became a French citizen in 1989 and committed suicide in 1998.