Franco Gatti, a founding member of much-loved Italian pop group Ricchi e Poveri, died in Genoa on Tuesday at the age of 80.
"A piece of Italian music history is gone," said Fratelli D’Italia (FdI) leader and likely future premier Giorgia Meloni via Twitter.
"A man who faced the painful challenges of life with great dignity. Ciao, Franco".
Formed in 1967, the band got their name, which means 'rich and poor', from late singer-songwriter Franco Califano, who described them as “rich in ideas and poor of money".
The group's success went beyond Italy and they had several international hits, including the 1981 track 'Sarà Perché ti Amo'.
Gatti left the group in 2016 following the death of his son, but he took part in a reunion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the band's debut at the Sanremo Music Festival in 2020.
He leaves behind a wife and daughter.
