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Salvatore Adamo was born 1 November 1943 in Comiso, Sicily, Italy. His father Antonio, a well digger, emigrated to Belgium in February 1947 to work in the mines of Marcinelle, and in June of the same year, his wife, Concetta, a housewife, and their son Salvatore joined him in the town of Ghlin before moving to Jemappes. In 1950, Salvatore was bedridden for a year with meningitis. Salvatore's parents did not want their son to become a miner, so Salvatore went to a Catholic school run by the Frères des Ecoles Chrétiennes. By 1960 the family of Antonio and Concetta Adamo had seven children overall. Adamo grew up in Jemappes where he was a dedicated student at school and distinguished himself in Music and the arts, in general, from an early age, making an impression with his singing abilities.At the end of the sixties, Adamo married his wife, Nicole. Their son, Anthony, was born in 1969 , while in the eighties Benjamin and then Amélie were born. At the height of Adamo's stardom, his father died by drowning on 7 August 1966.In 1984, Adamo had heart problems which necessitated a heart bypass operation and a temporary though total withdrawal from work. Since 1993, he is a honorary UNICEF ambassador from Belgium and, in this capacity, has visited countries such as Vietnam, Lebanon, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and others. In 2001, Adamo was named a chevalier by Albert II, King of the Belgians. In 2004, health problems forced Adamo to cancel a scheduled tour but, since 2007, he is touring again.