Otello Profazio

Otello Profazio (26 December 1934 – 24 July 2023) was an Italian cantastorie, folk singer-songwriter, and author.

Biography Born Otello Ermanno Profazio in Rende, Province of Cosenza, Profazio made his debut in 1953, participating in the radio music competition "Il microfono è vostro" with the song U' Ciucciu. A prominent promoter of traditional folk music from southern Italy—particularly from Sicily and Calabria—he received widespread critical acclaim in 1964 for the album Il treno del sole, which featured poems by Ignazio Buttitta set to music. This album also marked the beginning of a progressive evolution in his style, becoming increasingly original and distinctive. From the 1980s he focused his activities on live performances and concerts.