Francesco De Gregori

Francesco De Gregori (born in Rome on April 4, 1951) is one of the most original Italian songwriters. The poetry and commitment in his songs, as well as the melody of his compositions (inspired by Lucio Battisti, as De Gregori once stated), make him one of the best artists on the Italian musical landscape. Influenced by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and the Italian singer-songwriter Fabrizio De André, Francesco De Gregori started his career in the beginning of the 1970's. He is popularly known as "Il Principe Poeta" ("The Poet Prince"), the nickname refers to the elegance of his lyrics.