Ernesto De Pascale

Ernesto de Pascale (February the 13th 1958 – February the 13th 2011) was born in Florence, Italy. He started making music in his early teens. In 1980 he joined Rai-Radiotelevisione italiana (The Italian National Broadcasting Corporation) as disc jockey. In 1981 his first recording was an album of funky music with the band Lightshine which toured extensively for years. In 1983, after a long stay in the U.S. founded HypnoDance, a Rythm & Blues band which recorded and toured regularly until 1990. From 1982 to 1995 he was one of the leading voices of the most acclaimed and respected italian radio music show called “RaiStereoNotte” a nightly six hour long non commercial program which aired the best music from all over the world. In 1983 he co founded the most important italian show for indipendent producers and bands called “Indipendent Music Meeting“. In 1984 and 1985 he was called to help sharpening Videomusic, the first all music italian television. In 1987 and 1988 he cooperated as casting consultant to “DOC”, the most important music related tv show of the italian national service television, unmatched ‘til today, by a Renzo Arbore’s idea, the most important italian tv personality and influential entertainer. In 1989 Ernesto de Pascale wrote his first book, a Bessie Smith biography. Since then he has written three more books: one dedicated to the italian sixties scene, Mondo Beat , one to the correlation between soul and country music, Dove il Country e il Soul si Incontrano, and one which collect all of his interviews with the most important living bluesmen, The Blues and I. In 1990 became consultant for Polygram Publishing, Sugar Music and Best Sound records. In 1991 he wrote the screenplay for a thriller movie called “Il guanto nero”. In the same year he won an award for the developing of Soul music in Italy and one for the developing of the independent music scene. In 1992 he wrote his first fiction book, a collection of short stories called “Parole di Notte Verso Casa ”. Since 1993 he has been working for Controradio, the most important regional network of the Tuscany area with a very well acclaimed entertainment show called ”Il Popolo del Blues” aired live every Saturday Night from 8 to 10 p.m. In the same year he joined the “On the road” festival in Pelago, near to Florence, with a special live project called “The Blues Corner“. In 1994 he began workin’ for ”Italia Radio” the most important all news italian indipendent network with a nightly show called ”Effetto Notte“, co hosted with other famous ”voices” of the ”RaiStereoNotte” era. In 1995 he hosted a series of music specials of Contemporary Blues on Rai and in 1996 became musical director of the Massa Marittima “Folk Blues Festival“. In the same year he was called to join the latest and newest Rai-Radio 2 music show called “Suoni e Ultrasuoni“. In 1997 he won an award for developing the new italian Blues scene and another one by the official Elvis fan Club for the best radio show dedicated to Presley. Since 1981 Ernesto De Pascale has produced more than 40 albums and helped the discovery and shaping of the hip hop band “Articolo 31“, has sold 600.000 of their album “Così Com’è” (BMG/Best Sound, 1996).