Tony Dallara, the “Romantica” singer, died at 89 years old

Mourning in the world of music. He died on Friday 16 January 2026 at the age of 89 Tony Dallarastage name of Antonio Larderasinger symbol of Italian pop music between the 50s and 60s. Defined by critics and musical experts asgentle screamerin 1960 he won the Sanremo Festival with Romantic paired with Renato Rascel.

Tony Dallara died

—

Antonio Lardera he was born on 30 June 1936 in Campobasso, the youngest of five children but due to his father’s work he grew up in Milan since he was a child. In fact Battista Lardera was a chorister of the La Scala Theater in Milan, for this reason little Antonio grew up surrounded by music which soon became one of his greatest passions. Once he finished compulsory school, he started working as a bartender and then also worked as an employee. In the end, however, the desire to perform and sing won out. He took his first steps in Milanese clubs together with some vocal groups such as i Rocky Mountains then became i Champions. It was the 1950s when Frankie Lane, gods Platters and the mythical Only you who brought a new way of singing and being on stage to the world. Having been struck by that world, Tony Dallara tried to make it his own, creating his own style around the clubs.

success

—

Before becoming one of the protagonists of the music scene between the 50s and 60s, in 1957 he was hired as a delivery boy at the label Walter Guertler, after hearing him sing almost by chance, he made him sign his first contract but above all he made him immortal by changing his surname to Dallara. The first song he recorded, As before, in a few months it became an unprecedented success, remaining in first place for weeks and selling over 300 thousand copies. In those years they then came out I’ll tell you, Don’t leave, Julia until 1960 when victory came to Sanremo with Romantic paired with Renato Rascel. The song has been translated into numerous languages ​​including Japanese. In 1961 he won Canzonissima with Little girl, little girl but already in 1962 his popularity began to decline thanks to the new musical tastes of the public.

the crisis and the return

—

In the 70s like this Tony Dallara he began to dedicate himself to his other great passion painting exhibiting in several galleries and becoming friends with Guttuso. Since the 80s his name has also returned to circulation in musical circles, thanks to the start of a revival phase of Italian music of the past. Also for this reason he had once again become a familiar face for the television audience. In recent years he has faced some health problems but has continued to appear on TV. In 2024 it was a Sunday In where he sang his best-known songs again.