Popular singer and broadcaster Enzo Gusman has died aged 74.
His wife Carmen broke the news on social media, saying he passed away peacefully at home after a long period of suffering.
Born Laurence Gusman in 1947, he was immersed in the world of entertainment and performance from a young age.
As a singer, Gusman tackled romantic ballads, snappy pop songs and when the mood struck, opera, with zeal and gusto, fulfilling his passion for the arts by moonlighting as a performer while working as a bank manager by day.
Gusman will forever be immortalised in some of his most beloved song like folkloristic classics Fil-Pjazza tar-Raħal (The Village Square) and L-Avukat tal-Karozzin (The Cabby Lawyer) as well as sentimental ballads like Inħossni Kburi Bik (I’m Proud of You).
He was also talented at doing impressions and could throw his voice convincingly to mimic some of his own musical idols, like Dean Martin and Louis Armstrong.
A teenage singer
He was discovered at age 13 by veteran actor Johnny Navarro and won his first singing competition, aged 17 in Sicily.
Gusman successfully qualified to the Eurovision song contest by winning the Malta Song for Europe competition twice - in 1974 with the song Paċi fid-Dinja (Peace on Earth) and in 1976 with Sing your Song Country Boy. However, on both occasions, Malta withdrew from the competition before Gusman got the chance to perform on the international stage.
Malta went on a 16-year hiatus from Eurovision, returning to the contest in 1991. Gusman competed in the Malta Song for Europe unsuccessfully a further seven times.
International song festivals
He more than made up for his lack of Eurovision success with wins at over 20 international song festivals.
The veteran entertainer gained popularity on his regular mid-morning radio show Bejn il-Ħbieb (Between us Friends) on Calypso Radio, where he always referred to his loyal listeners as his friends.
Gusman was an avid campaigner for blood donation, a cause he championed frequently as a broadcaster, going on to write the song Agħtini Pinta Oħra (Give another pint). Gusman helped organise trips to the blood donation unit, largely made up of his listeners, with groups running anywhere between 40 to 100 people.
Gusman had a passion for Maltese language and heritage, and continually stressed on fellow broadcasters to hold high standards of spoken Maltese on air, as he felt they had a responsibility to champion the mother tongue.
He also cemented his status as a performer in local dramas and musicals including Ulied in-Nanna Venut Fl-Amerka, l-Għarusa tal-Mosta and Taħt Tlett Saltniet, where he played the father of Maltese language Mikiel Anton Vassalli.
Gusman has two daughters, Johanna and Greta.
In 2008, he was awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika for his decade-spanning career in entertainment and broadcasting.
Many paid their tributes to Gusman as the news broke on Saturday morning. Former news anchor Joe Dimech bid farewell to "a great friend and artist, and above all a person who really loved his motherland", saying that his songs will live forever.
Calypso Radio also bid him farewell: "We are all shocked and saddened to learn about the demise of our dear friend and also former station manager, Enzo Gusman. Thank you for the music dear Enzo. We will miss you but will forever treasure your legacy through your own music."