In July 2016, after returning from the World Tour, Gianluca was presented with the Dean Martin Award from the municipality of Pescara.
What did Gianluca have to say about his life back then? Let’s listen to his words….
TRAVELING, DREAMING, SINGING. THREE SIMPLE WORDS THAT ENVELOPE THE MEANING OF MY LIFE. TRAVEL CHANGED ME. I AM NO LONGER THE SAME PERSON AFTER SEEING THE MOON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. DREAMING IS CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION AND ONLY THOSE WHO DO NOT STOP DOING IT CAN TOUCH THE SKY. SINGING IS MY LIFE…HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE…MY LIFE!
That truly sums up Gianluca’s life even if only in a simple way.
Even back then, I saw Gianluca as being a romantic. His life was all about his dreams and his love ~ That’s Amore!
At the beginning of the event, Gianluca received greetings from Mayor Marco Alessandrini who said, “one of the voices of Il Volo will receive the Dean Martin Award, during the presentation of the Awards in the Council Chamber.”
On Friday, July 22, 2016 the Council Chamber of the Municipality of Pescara, presented the 9th Dean Martin Award to Gianluca Ginoble.
Alessandra Portinari, president of the Dean Martin Foundation explained, This year’s edition of the Dean Martin Prize will be presented to a great artist from Abruzzo known all over the world thanks to his talent. The gala will be held on Sunday July 31st, in Piazza Muzii – Pescara. Many compare Gianluca Ginoble as the natural heir of Dino Crocetti (Dean Martin), not only in terms of vocal timbre, but for the stubbornness typical of the Abruzzese and for the perfection that they put and have put into their work. A necessary quality to achieve that American dream that first Dean Martin and now Gianluca have conquered.
Ginoble, with the other members of Il Volo, have enchanted stages all over the world and between a tour in Latin America and Europe on Friday we will have the honor of presenting him with the prestigious award.
At the age of fourteen with Ignazio Boschetto and Piero Barone participated in 2009 in Ti lascio una canzone, the Raiuno television program, but it is thanks to the intuition of Michele Torpedine, the manager who built the careers of Andrea Bocelli, Zucchero, Giorgia and Biagio Antonacci, that they have become an incredibly successful trio. Their debut album ‘Il Volo’ was released in Italy in November 2010 and obtained the ‘Platinum’ certification for sales and was released all over the world. In just one week, it entered the ‘Top Ten of the Billboard 200,’ dedicated to the best-selling albums in the United States.
From August to October 2012 Il Volo was engaged in a tour of 40 dates in the United States & Canada in the most important theaters of New York, Toronto, Boston, Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montreal and many others, then participating as a Special Guest in the tour of Barbra Streisand in over twelve concerts, dueting with the great artist. On November 20, 2012, the second album, ‘We are Love’ was released, which includes duets with Placido Domingo and Eros Ramazzotti and an English cover of U2’s hit ‘Beautiful Day.’
On December 10, 2013, the three boys participated in the concert for the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, accompanied by an orchestra of sixty elements. An event of international importance that will thus close their year full of successes. In 2014, Il Volo was nominated twice at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, this time in the Latin Pop Albums categories Artist of the Year, Duo or Group (winning) and Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group. During the event, they won the El Pulso Social award, intended for the artist who received the most attention on social networks during the award ceremony.
Il Volo won the Sanremo Festival 2015 with the song ‘Grande Amore.’ After a months-long tour in the U.S. and Latin America, Il Volo released it on July 1st.
By now Gianluca is used to dealing with artists of the caliber of Barbra Streisand and Oscar winner Luis Bacalov, at home in social events where he is portrayed with Sting and Bill Clinton, or sacred monsters who have changed music in recent decades such as Quincy Jones (producer of Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Miles Davis).
Gianluca has preserved the humility necessary to enjoy, in the rare moments of break, his Rose Garden, where he lives with his family, in the charming village of Montepagano, before returning to the beach, with mother Leonora, father Ercole, who left his job to follow him, and his brother Ernesto; he is also very close to his grandfather and no one in the village is envious of his success, on the contrary they consider him their ‘Maradona.’
We know that he loves sports, especially football, tennis and swimming; he has two favorite teams, Roma and Barcelona, while his idols are Francesco Totti and Lionel Messi. His favorite singers are many, including Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Andrea Bocelli, while in cinema he prefers Nathalie Portman.”
Presentation of the Dean Martin Award to Gianluca July 22, 2016.
Announcer: The Dean Martin Award opened in Pescara with the awarding of Gianluca Ginoble of the trio Il Volo to welcome him in the council room of the municipality, here the young man from Roseto dedicated selfies and autographs during the ceremonies the video was broadcast of the victory of Sanremo 2015 and the president of Martin’s foundation Alessandra Portinari presented the HAT symbolizing the award.
Gianluca: I returned home to Abruzzo for a few days after seven months of tours. We started our world tour in Roseto degli Abruzzi on January 6th and there couldn’t have been a better thing than to return and receive this very important award especially from my idol.
I absolutely don’t want to be compared to Dean Martin. I’m just a 20-year-old guy who likes to sing, this is my passion. I’ve been singing since I was 3 years old with my grandfather,
Sure, sometimes I realize that we have reached a great level and above all also in the world with my two colleagues of Il Volo, Ignazio and Piero.
Sometimes I don’t even realize we’re all here together. I’m here to receive this award. I’m really happy and very excited.
Now let’s have some fun with Gianluca….
What better way to start than with Gianluca and his friends!
Next, this is a throwback video of the Abruzzo’s Prince, Gianluca singing classic covers with the guitar Master Giovanni Di Caprio.
This is Gianluca Ginoble
GIANLUCA GINOBLE’S PERFECTION
Anyone who knows me knows that I look for any and every excuse to listen to Gianluca sing Anema e core. No one sings it like Gianluca! This was in Taormina on July 21, 2014.
I love Gianluca singing Enrique Iglesias song El Baño.
And Gianluca’s amazing performance of Aranjuez at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center February 9, 2016.
Over the years Gianluca has thrilled us with his amazing voice. His songs hit home every time. There’s no question about his versatility. He’s brought us on a journey which began with O sole Mio and brings us to songs today like She’s Always a Woman.
He continues to thrill us with his charm and wit and phenomenal voice. How about how he makes us feel when he sings La Cura, totally amazing!
Today I wanted to take a different journey. I wanted you to know about how Gianluca was honored but I also wanted you to know how much he deserves the honors he receives. Not just this honor but many honors! I wanted you to see him having fun in between the music. Gianluca has great friends but none better than his partners Piero and Ignazio! They’ve taken this journey together and together they walk on. It’s been said so many times in the last few weeks, but I’ll say it again. Il Volo goes on because Il Volo is where all three guys want to be.
No matter what Gianluca sings, he makes us happy, and, That’s Amore!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7WIi_jvR8U
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
I am so happy. Yesterday evening a newsletter from Daniela, today from Susan. Life can be so wonderful.
I love all those informations. I still can’t believe, that I have heard of Il Volo in December 2023 for the first time. I seldom watch TV and I read books, no newspapers. All my friends know that I adore Helmut Lotti from Belgium since the late 1990s but nobody told me of Il Volo. So I have to read and watch everything of the last 15 years.
Thank you very much, dear Susan, for the interesting articles.
I wish all of you very happy Easter days.
Such a great recap of OUR Gianluca, Susan. Thank you so much! Now to watch all the videos of our young man and enjoy him as only we (you and I and a million others) can. Hugs, Dol.
Absolutely, Gianluca is the romantic. I strongly believe that one day he will find his soulmate. Right now his music and concert appearances are important to him. His voice is incredible, but so are Ignazio’s and Piero’s voices. Together they are a powerhouse of wonderful music. Prayers and blessings to all of them in their year of concert tours.
Dear Susan as you know I love all our guys but I’ve always had a soft spot for Gian! He IS my favorite…it’s that gorgeous voice and the way he presents it …..so reminesant of the artists I loved Dean Martin,Frank, etc……he can sing anything and sing it well. While I like the current music he likes to sing, I prefer the classics and Bel Canto! He has such enormous talent but his baritone isn’t as appreciated in some pop music as it is in the classics. That being said the way he plays with his range is something special too!
I always love going down memory lane with you and the guys of Ilvolo?…that much talent is mine blowing!
Thank you for this and picking so many if my favorites to play!
Blessings for a Happy Easter, May it bring Peace, love and kindness back to all the world…especially Ukraine and Gaza, they’re all at hands of mad men and it needs to stop!
Love and appreciation, Carol 💖💖💖🎤🎼🦋🙏☮️🤗😘❤️✝️✡️🕊️🕊️🕊️
Thanks for this very inciteful artical. Gianluca lives for his art and it shows. I believe all of these young men will find love when it is their time.
Susan bardzo dziękuję, za pouczającą lekturę. Uwielbiam czytać Twoje felietony, z których dowiaduję się o faktach, o których nie wiedziałam. Gianluca (nazywany przeze mnie ślicznotkiem) i jego aksamitny barytonik, utwory przez niego śpiewane doprowadzają do wielkich emocji, pozytywnych emocji. Każda nutka wykonana jest perfekcyjnie (jak każdy z IL Volo mają doskonałą technikę). Gianluca jest wielkim romantykiem. Mocno wierzę, że pewnego dnia odnajdzie swoją wielką miłość (tak jak Ignazio). Bardzo tego potrzebuje. Zyczę mu tego z całego serca. Kocham całą trójkę, ale moje serce skradł Ignazio – kocham jego głos, interpretację piosenek i osobowość.. Nasze perełki potrzebują również wsparcia duchowego, ze względu na długie trasy koncertowe, które ode mnie otrzymują. Pozdrawiam i życzę rodzinnych Świąt. Jeszcze raz dziękuję
Such a treat to see Gianluca relaxing and singing with this best buddies, the twins. Even now, since one of them has married, they are still good friends! He is as much at home on the stage as he is in his own house! Happy Easter to all, Dol. 🐰🐰🐰
Thank you once again. Look forward to all you write. I love all three guys. I have a favorite with Ignazio but all three are super talented and three grounded young men can’t wait to hear and get the new album live Capilavoro and the Queen cover. Should be great so glad they are making this album of mostly all new songs. More power to them👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼⭐️⭐️⭐️🥇
Thanks Susan for yet a lovely article on our guys – this time with focus on Gianluca. I thought I knew most things about him by now – but I hadn’t heard of this Dean Martin Award before. So thanks for enlightening me. Of course, Gianluca, would be so obviously a candidate for same and glad that he was acknowledged. He loves to sing the good old crooners and does it so well – he is the Dean Martin of to-day. His voice lends to this genre so perfectly – velvet, airy, warm and soft… Huh pure honney in my ears. I pray that he and the other Il Volo guys will keep up singing these evergreens in spite of now looking into the future with more modern and popular tunes – but to me the latter will with very few exceptions never live up to the quality and standard of these classics. So I hope they will keep up presenting a mix of genres at their future concerts as well. Finally, I’ll take the opportunity to wish you and everyone at “the flight crew” – as well as all of you my dear fellow Ilvo-lovers a very Happy Easter.
Love and greetings from Kirsten – Denmark
Susan – your love stands supreme for Piero – Ignazio & Gianluca – one can see by the way you write about these boys & the extraordinary amount of research you do – that you love these boys – I am just blown away by the profound research that goes into producing these editorials – some of the facts which I did not know – I am very appreciative of all your hard work – you are an amazing soul – much love & have a great week.