Renée and Renato were a female/male vocal duo, who had a UK number-one hit in December 1982 with "Save Your Love". The follow-up single "Just One More Kiss" peaked at No. 48. Subsequent singles "A Little Bitta Me" and "Jesus Loves Us All" failed to reach the Top 75 of the UK singles charts, settling in positions 175 and 100 respectively.
Renato Pagliari was born on 28th June 1940, in Blera, Lazio, Italy and attended a school for professional waiter's, which equipped him to perform in five star restaurant's working in several countries, singing Neopolitan songs and operatic arias in the style of Enrico Caruso, he subsequently immigrating to England where he based himself in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, where he auditioned for ITV's talent show New Faces in 1975, catching the attention of songwriter, Johnny Edward, who had written "Save Your Love".
He was teamed by Edward with British singer Hilary Lester and the duo was renamed Renée and Renato. They recorded the song, "Save Your Love", which became the 1982 Christmas number oneand also chartered well in the Netherlands and Norway and peaked at number 3 in Australia in 1983.
Renato stressed that the duo was never in a relationship and she was replaced by a stand-in in the video clip, By that stage Lester had already joined another group, and the contractually enforced follow-up "Just One More Kiss" peaked at number 55 in Australia.
Lester returned to private life after the fame died down, but Renato still sang, and recorded six solo albums and mainly performed on cruise ships and occasionally at his son's restaurant, Renato's, in Tamworth, Staffordshire.
His later credits included a guest spot on the TV comedy show Little and Large. He is also rumoured to have been the singer for the Wall's ice cream jingle "Just One Cornetto" (although this is claimed not to be the case by Pagliari's son, Remo). He also issued several albums.
Renato was a fan of Aston Villa F.C. and during the early 1990s was asked by manager Ron Atkinson to sing "Nessun dorma" at half time following a particularly poor first half performance by the team. On completion of his performance Atkinson told the players "Now that is passion! Go and show me some of that in the second half"! When Atkinson appeared on the TV show Room 101, Atkinson claimed that only Luciano Pavarotti could sing "Nessun Dorma" better than Renato.
Death Renato died from complications following surgery on a brain tumour at Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield, on 29 July 2009, aged 69.Tributes after Birmingham singer Renato loses battle to beat brain tumour Birmingham Mail, 4 August 2009.
Discography Albums Title Album detailsPeak chart positions AUS Just One... Released: September 1983 Label: Hollywood Formats: LP, MC7 Only You Released: 1984 Label: Hollywood Formats: LP, MC Australia-only release29Wanting You Released: 1985 Label: Starcall Victor Formats: LP, MC Australia-only release94 Carousel of Love Released: 1988 Label: Front Page Formats: CD, LP, MC Europe-only release—"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Renato albums Title Album detailsPeak chart positions UK NOR SWE A Song for You Released: 1978 Label: Zel-La Formats: LP——— Save Your Love Released: December 1982 Label: Lifestyle Formats: LP, MC Re-release of A Song for You with added track "Save Your Love"261139A Taste of Italy Released: 1989 Label: RCA Formats: CD, LP——— Renato Released: Label: Formats: CD——— Renato's International Selection Released: Label: Formats: CD——— Around The World With Love... Released: Label: Formats: CD———"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Singles Title YearPeak chart positions UK AUS BE (FL) DEN GER IRE NL NOR SWE SWI "Save Your Love"198213121012134 "Just One More Kiss"19834855—125627———— "A Little Bitta Me"175————————— "Magic Night" (Germany-only release)—————————— "Jesus Loves Us All"100——12—————— "Only You"1984—————————— "Are You Lonesome Tonight" (Netherlands-only release)1988——————————"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Renato singles Title YearPeak chart positions UK "She Wears My Ring"1982138 "Funiculi, Funicula"1986— "It's Impossible to See You"1989—"—" denotes releases that did not chart.
References