ROME – The American University of Rome presented an Honorary Doctorate in Classics to singer-songwriter Dr. Francesco Guccini this week.

 The University said the degree was to honour the Italian musician for “having been able to tell for generations, with poetry, humour and anger the small and the great stories of our times. And for helping with his beautiful songs to bring to Italy a certain idea of America.”

 Guccini said he was very honoured to receive the degree, saying he had often seen scenes of American graduations in films and always wanted to be a part of them. He first knew of America through the stories of his grandfather, who emigrated there but later returned to Italy. He recalled his first real encounter with Americans during the liberation of Italy after World War Two. He remembered soldiers throwing "hershey bars" and his first ever experience of chewing gum which he "chewed and chewed and it never melted in my mouth so I had to swallow it!"

 The 72-year-old also celebrated a marriage last month to Raffaella Zuccari.

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