I Profeti
| Company type | Music band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 in Milan, Italy |
| Headquarters | Milan , Italy |
| Products | Pop music |
I Profeti ("The Prophets") were an Italian pop ensemble that achieved notable recognition during the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s.
Career
Established in 1964 in Milan, the band originally focused on beat music and debuted with their first single, "Bambina sola," in 1966, which was an adaptation of The Grass Roots' track "You're a Lonely Girl".[1] Their initial album, released in 1967 and titled Bambina sola, drew inspiration from American contemporary folk styles.[1] By 1968, they attained their first hit within Italy with "Gli occhi verdi dell'amore", a rendition of Chip Taylor's "Angel of the Morning", signaling a departure from their earlier beat genre.[1]
In 1970, lead vocalist Renato Brioschi recorded "Lady Barbara" under the moniker "Renato dei Profeti", which reached number one on the Italian charts. After this achievement, Brioschi embarked on a solo career.[1][2] Following his departure, I Profeti shifted towards a softer, more melodic pop sound.[1][3] Their singles released between 1971 and 1973—"Era bella", "Prima notte senza lei", and "Io perché, io per chi"—all entered the Italian charts, peaking at sixth, eighteenth, and tenth positions respectively.[2]
The group participated in the Sanremo Music Festival in 1976 with the song "Cercati un'anima", finishing in fifteenth place.[3] Shortly after this, they disbanded but reunited briefly during the late 1980s for live shows and television appearances.[1]
Personnel
- Renato Brioschi – vocals, electric guitar (1964–1970)
- Nazareno La Rovere – guitar (1964–1968; 1970–1977)
- Donato Ciletti – bass guitar (1964–1966; 1969–1977)
- Osvaldo Bernasconi – drums (1964–1967; 1968–1972; 1974–1977)
- Danny Besquet – bass guitar (1966–1967)
- Roberto Margaria – bass guitar, guitar (1967–1970)
- Franco D'Onofrio – drums (1967–1968)
- Raffaele Favero – drums, flute (1967–1968)
- Maurizio Bellini – organ (1969–1973)
- Claudio Belloli – drums (1972–1974)
- Beppe Tiranzoni – organ, keyboards (1974–1977)
Discography
- Albums
- 1967: Bambina sola (CBS, S 52436)
- 1971: Era bella (CBS, S 64758)
- 1974: L'amore è... (CBS, S 69033)
- 1976: Cercati un'anima (CBS, S 69144)