Albano Carrisi: My name comes from the Albanians, a tribute from my father to the people who helped him in the war

 Albano Carrisi and his father, Carmelo

 The interview with the artist on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Journey inside the great fazenda of Cellino between memories and extraordinary stories

by Aldo Cazzullo / CorriereTv

"Do you know why you are called Al Bano? Because when I was at war, it was the Albanians who saved me, their kindness. And I wrote to your mother: when he is born, call him Al Bano and it will be our fortune. And so it happened." The interview with Albano Carrisi, conducted by Aldo Cazzullo, starts with the memory of his father, as he tells his story to the "Corriere della Sera" on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

The singer talked about his meeting and falling in love with Romina; the first meeting with Putin in Leningrad in 1986 after a show ("he came to thank me, then I found him as the President of Russia. Anyone who declares war disappoints the world") and the one with Loredana Lecciso in Lecce, at the school where Al Bano took his daughters to study. And his relationship with faith, changed after the disappearance of his daughter Ylenia.

We remind you that Albano Carrisi also has Albanian citizenship since 2016.