I met Renato at a charity golf match about 15 years ago and he gave a great performance of his 1982 hit "Save Your Love" at the presentation dinner in the evening.The male half of singing duo Renée and Renato, who had a UK number one hit in 1982 with Save Your Love, has died.
Former Italian waiter Renato Pagliari, 69, who lived in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, died in hospital last week after surgery for a brain tumour.
The Rome-born crooner also provided the voice behind the Walls ice-cream TV advert Just One Cornetto.
Renato is survived by his wife Maureen, son Remo, daughter Amanda, and three grandsons.
The singer entered the TV talent show New Faces in 1975 and caught the attention of songwriter Johnny Edward, who had written Save Your Love.
The song was eventually recorded in 1982 and became that year's Christmas number one single.
By the time it topped the charts, Renée had already joined another band.
The duo did attempt follow-up hits - Just One More Kiss and Jesus Loves Us All - but they flopped.
Renée later returned to private life but Renato still occasionally sang at his son's restaurant in Tamworth, Staffordshire, called Renato's.
Renato supported Aston Villa Football Club and during the early 1990s was asked by the then manager Ron Atkinson to sing Nessun Dorma at half time during a match.
Top of the pops version on YouTube:
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