Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

After Pippo Baudo another Sanremo legend leaves us. Bebbe Vessicchio is dead. He has conducted maybe more Sanremo entries than anyone else (or so it seems as it was always a pleasure to see him appear!) and each time he appeared in front of the orchestra it was a good sign, his sole appearance made you in a good mood.  Giuseppe, or Bebbe as everyone knew him, was born in Naples in 1956. He started his musical career with singers like Nino Buonocore. Edoardo Bennato, Peppino di Capri, Peppino Gagliardi and Gino Paoli with him he wrote hits like Ti lascio una canzone . Soon he was working in television and most notably in festival of Sanremo since 1990 conducting dozens of entries, apparently over 120! His arrangement won the best arrangement award in 1994 , 1997 , 1998 and 2000 , and he conducted the winning entries in 2000 (Avion Travel - Sentimento ), 2003 (Alexia - Per dire di no ), 2010 (Valerio Scanu - Per tutte le volte che ) and 2011 (Roberto Vecchioni - Chiamami amcora amo...

This has been a sad Eurovision weeks for Finland. Riki Sorsa (ESC 1981) passed away just before the first semifinal, and now we are reached with news that Lasse Mårtenson (ESC 1964) has left us, too. Besides his own song he was very much involved in the Finnish Eurovision history as composer.  He wrote a total of 14 Euroviisut entries, winning twice: Marraskuu (1963), Laiskotellen (1964) , Iltaisin (1965), Ge mig en grabb (1965), Pieni sana (1966), Ken hän on? (1966), Revontuli (1967), Sua kutsun, Maarit (1967), Varjoon - suojaan (1967 ), Pilvilaulu (1971), Hän on mennyt vuorten taa (1973), Laulun kuulen (1974), Fasten seatbelts (1975), Kuusitoista hyvää vuotta (1977) He was 81.  Rest in peace. 

Sad news from Germany today. Roger Cicero, who represented the country in Helsinki 2007 Eurovision has died. He was only 45. R.I.P. Roger, it was nice meeting you in Helsinki. Your wonderful music lives on.....

Udo Jürgens saw Austria win Eurovision song contest again this May after 48 years since his victory back in 1966 with Merci chérie but he didn't live to see the contest take place in Vienna again next May. Udo, aged 80, passed away today. He was also supposed to feature in the interval act next May. Besides winning Eurovision with his third consecutive try he was a superstar in the German speaking world with over 800 songs to his credit and sales of over 100 million records. His career started in 1950 with Je t'aime and over the years his songs were covered by world famous artists who in turn made them hits, like Shirley Bassey, Matt Monro, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr.... He released over 60 albums since 1965, his latest one, Mitten in Leben , came out this year. Merci for your music, Udo.