MANGO, an Italian singer-songwriter who was one of the country`s biggest stars in the 1980s, has died aged 60, after having a heart attack on stage.

Giuseppe ‘Pino’ Mango, who blended Mediterranean pop with world music and folk influences and recorded three of his 23 albums in Spanish, was performing at Policoro in his native southern Italy when he was taken ill on Sunday evening.

He had just struck the opening bars of his hit song Oro when he raised an arm and said “excuse me” to the crowd before collapsing. He died later in hospital.

Italian news agency ANSA described it as the “perfect stage exit for an artist”.

Mango was married to another singer, Laura Valente, and the couple had two children together. His funeral will take place on Wednesday.