Francesco De Gregori was born in Rome 4th April 1951. He began performing and writing lyrics at the age of just sixteen.
His debut dates back to 1972 with the album "Theorius Campus" composed together with his friend Venditti. The following year Francesco De Gregori released the single "Alice non lo sa", that was quietly successful.
In 1974 the profound "Francesco De Gregori" album was released. The same year, he began working with Fabrizio De Andrè.
In 1975 he released "Rimmel", an album containing songs that were to become classics of Italian music. De Gregori himself defined “Bufalo Bill” (1976), as "my most accomplished record".
In 1978, he released a new album: "De Gregori" featuring memorable songs like "Generale", destined to become hugely famous.
In 1979 Francesco De Gregori returned to the stage to perform live, together with Lucio Dalla and Ron on a tour called "Banana Republic". Shortly afterwards he recorded the album "Viva l'Italia" in the studio with Andrew Loog Oldham.
In 1982 the album "Titanic" was released. In 1983 Francesco De Gregori released his most famous song, "La donna cannone". The album "Scacchi e tarocchi" was released in 1985.
In 1987 he released the album "Terra di nessuno". His next record, in 1990, was "Miramare 19.4.89", followed up by 3 live albums "Catcher in the sky", "Musica leggera" and "Niente da capire".
In 1992 he showed even more musical maturity with the album "Canzoni d'amore". After the two live records "Il bandito e il campione" and "Bootleg" came four long years of silence.
His return to the music scene came in 1996, with the album "Prendere e lasciare". The compilation "Curve nella memoria" (1998) contained De Gregori's greatest hits of the previous 15 years.
In 2001 he released "Amore nel pomeriggio", a superb collaboration with Franco Battiato and Nicola Piovani.
2002 saw the release of "Fuoco amico", a new compilation of hits performed live.
Francesco De Gregori returns in 2003 with a collection of fourteen tracks entitled "Il fischio del vapore": a profitable partnership with Giovanna Marini, legendary Italian folk singer.
A biography of Francesco De Gregori, "Quello che non so, lo so cantare" was published in 2003.
In 2005, De Gregori won the Targa Tenco for the best Italian album of the year with “Pezzi”.
In February 2006, De Gregori released a new studio album, “Calypsos”, with nine brand new tracks.
In November 2006 a triple CD ”Tra un manifeso e lo specchio” that collected together his most representative tracks was released, with pieces written by Zucchero.
2010 opens with the news of a new set of concerts with his friend Lucio Dalla, with the name "Work in progress". During the evenings the two presented a new song called "Non basta saper cantare" and announce also the release of their new album called "Work in Progress".
On November 16th 2011 “Work in progress” was published, double live CD + “back to back” DVD with video content filmed during the tour.
In November 2012 the new album SULLA STRADA is released, which climbs immediately the top-selling album charts.
The 28th of May 2013, the life of this awesome album which testify the state of grace of an author and musician capable of creating new masterpiece like “Showtime”, “Guarda che non sono io”, “Belle Epoque” and a new chapter like “Sulla strada Special Edition” begins. In just 5000 copies in a limited edition made to increase his value in time anticipate a reprint of the record with 2 more tracks (alternative versions of “Ragazza del ‘95” and “Guard ache non sono io”), a photo book “Sulla strada photo edition”, a DVD with pictures of the backstage in the new tour, live songs and the making of the record. An edition that, after the vinyl, accomplished all the “physical” supports of what it can be defined, without hesitation, the new masterpiece of Francesco De Gregori, after 41 years since his discographic debut.
In September 2015 he played at the Arena di Verona, performing “Rimmel”, his most successful album in front of 13.000 people.
On Friday the 30th of October 2015 the new album “De Gregori canta Bob Dylan – Amore e Furto” has been released. At the end of the first week since the release, it became the record of the week and it went directly at the top of the Fimi/Gfk Chart.
His last album is “Sotto Il Vulcano” recorded live in Taormina during the “Amore e Furto” Tour.