Peppino di Capri, Italian twist king and voice of a generation, dies at 87

Peppino di Capri, one of Italy's most beloved pop singers and the man behind hits such as 'Champagne' and 'St. Tropez Twist', died at the age of 87 after a long illness, multiple Italian news outlets reported. According to Adnkronos, the singer passed away at his home on the island of Capri, at villa Castiglione, surrounded by his family.

AdnkronosMorto Peppino Di Capri, aveva 87 anni. Addio alla voce di 'Champagne'

Known across decades as the "re del twist" (king of twist) by La Stampa and as "la voce di Napoli" (the voice of Naples) by askanews, Di Capri embodied the breezy, melodic sound of Italian pop. Adnkronos's headline bid him farewell with the words: "Addio alla voce di 'Champagne'" :: Adnkronos

La StampaÈ morto Peppino di Capri, addio al “re del twist” della canzone italiana

His catalog included timeless classics such as 'Champagne' (1973), 'Luna caprese', 'Roberta', 'St. Tropez Twist', and his cover of 'Let's Twist Again', as reported by ANSA, Adnkronos, and askanews. The song 'Champagne' in particular became an anthem of Italian easy listening and remains his most recognizable work internationally.

Folha de S.Paulo, in an English-language obituary, described the singer as an "Italian music icon" and noted his influence on 20th-century popular music: "celebrating his legacy as one of the 20th century's music icons" :: Folha

Di Capri's career spanned more than six decades, from the twist craze of the early 1960s through the sophisticated pop of the 1970s. His death marks the end of an era for Italian music, with fans and fellow musicians remembering the man who gave a soundtrack to generations of summers.