In the early 70s Francesco Sanavio was the pioneer promoter who did the first concerts in Italy of many famous international Rock Bands.
He started his career in 1971 with 2 concerts of Jethro Tull in Milan and Rome. That same year he did John Mayall & the Blues Breakers, Ten Years after, YES, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Grand Funk Railroad on their “1971 Tour” and the Uriah Heep.
At that Time Francesco Sanavio was also the manager of two Italian rock bands. Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso and PFM (Premiata Forneria Marconi) who Sanavio pushed as supporting act in many concerts he had organized that year like Deep Purple and Uriah Heep.
Until 1975 he went on doing mainly rock concerts. Jethro Tull again in 1972 and 1973 at the peak of the career supported by another great rock band Gentle Giant. In 1972 he did for the first time in Italy Emerson Lake & Palmer, Rory Gallagher, Joe Cocker, Colosseum, Traffic and The Electric Light Orchestra.
In 1973 it was the first time for Roxy Music and Frank Zappa who came back also in 1974 and the band leaded by Ozzy Osbourne Black Sabbath. Record of sales was registered for the concerts in Torino and Rome of Santana in December 1973.
In 1974 Francesco Sanavio together with David Zard had planned to do the huge Santa Monica Rock Festival, which never happened because the local administration didn’t give them the permits to do it when the tickets where already sold out.
In the late 70s on the great enthusiasm rising for the disco music he started promoting all the icon of this new era like Van McCoy, Chic, Boney M, KC & The Sunshine Band, Gloria Gaynor, Richie Family, Village People, Sister Sledge, Imagination. In 1977 he was the first one to bring Donna Summer and Grace Jones to Italy.
He also opened two famous discotheques in 1972 the Papagayo in Milano Marittima and in 1979 the Studio 54 in Milan where he did artists like Blondie and Tina Turner.
In 1977 and ’78 started the two longest working relationship of his career with the two music legends Ray Charles and James Brown.
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