• Registered: 2006-05-23
  • Posts: 18

Topic: Italian relatives of Joe?

Last week I was in Italy competing in the Motogiro d'Italia, a 5 day rally for pre 1957 vintage motorbikes. I did this for the 5th time now and was able to score a 4th position. This is not what I wanted to tell you, but I was approached by an Italian who asked me if I was the Bonamassa on the T-shirt (I wore the old style Established shirt). His name appeared to be Antonio Mario Bonamassa and lives in Gorgoglione (La Marche) Italy. Does the best blues guitar player of the era also originates from Italy, my favorite country. May be Joe can tell us. I can send a picture of his passport, which he showed me very proud.

  • From: Youngstown, OH
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 343

Re: Italian relatives of Joe?

Hi, Eric W.  Joe is indeed half Italian but I'm not sure what part of Italy his ancestors were from.  His last name surfaced a number of times over the years, though, as I've done geneology research on my dad's side of the family, which is from the town of Oriole in Calabria, Italy.

"The Blues is like a tonic for all that ails you."  BB King

Rock ON & Keep the Faith!
  • From: Southern New Jersey, USA
  • Registered: 2006-04-23
  • Posts: 2,966

Re: Italian relatives of Joe?

Hi Eric, Melissa and Joe, (if you read this)

Last year I spoke to Len, Joe's dad, one time about their Italian heritage.  Joe is Italian on his father's side only and Joe's grandfather was born in the United States, therefore the Bonamassa's don't know what region of Italy their ancestory traces to.

I just renewed my membership with an Italian organization that highly recommends a book by a renowned genealogist, John Coletta.  The title is "Finding Italian Roots: The Complete Guide for Americans". It is a step-by-step guide for Italian Americans who want to discover their immigrant ancestors. Anyone interested that can't get it, e-mail me, I'll pass on my discount for belonging to the club.

StringsforaCURE~Helping cancer patients one STRING at a time.
http://stringsforacure.com/

Angela's Website

  • Registered: 2006-05-02
  • Posts: 3

Re: Italian relatives of Joe?

I don't know about the Bonamassa Italians but I know Joe's paternal great great grandmother was also Italian & her family was from Palermo, Sicily.

  • Registered: 2006-05-23
  • Posts: 18

Re: Italian relatives of Joe?

Thanks everybody for the replies. Next year the Motogiro will be held in Sicily, starting from Palermo. I will have a look in the phone book, Sicily is relatively poor and Internet will not be easy. There is also little time left when the rally starts.

Interested? www.motogiroditalia.com. I am the one in the rainbow shirt on one of the pictures.