Originally published on the Scrittura site on Medium on Aug. 4, 2026.
Cuore Matto is what I remember.
You thumpin’ the bass strings, like a heartbeat.
Big Louie funkifyin’ and jazzin’ up Little Tony —
plucking each note, picking at the pulse.
Cuore malato, a heart that’s sick
today as news spreads around town
that you’ve played your last song.
It’s a thing that touches me deep inside.
Tell me the truth, only the truth
why we didn’t reach out, reach you
when the truth is time is slipping
about to leave you and me behind.
Your crazy heart once asked me to play along
on the drums, bongos, congas, timbale.
Me: ‘I would probably empty the place.’
You: ‘C’mon, even I can play bongos and cowbell!’
My sick heart hurts that I didn’t play along,
didn’t shed my stage-fright shyness
and jam along with Big Louie’s Band.
Didn’t do it before the music died.
Is the truth, the only truth
that we wait, wait till it’s too late?
Why bother getting up to dance
when the music stops, when it dies?
Your cuore, your big lovin’ heart
was your faith, friends and family.
And, of course, the rhythm in your soul.
The thum, thum, thum of your song.
It pulsed on the stage and on the floor
as we celebrated your retirement.
Your big loving embrace, your song,
that crazy, crazy heart thumpin’ along.
Tell me where’s the truth
when the truth is there was still time?
Because the truth, the truth is
that’s all we have until we don’t.
On the big stage at Cosmos
I remember the night, our anniversary.
We left before the second set
and later learned you called out our names.
My heart is sick that we let you down.
Didn’t hear you dedicate our song.
Weren’t there for your generous heart.
Didn’t applaud in time to your music.
Dimmi la verita Louie. The truth
why a crazy heart closes up
when you need it most, before
a cuoro matto turns malato.
It’s said after the Big Bopper, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens
that the music died. The first time.
A long, long time has passed and now
it’s you who helped save our musical souls.
So thank you and bye, bye Big Louie.
It’s your big thum, thum, thumpin’ bass I remember
and the band that will always be
Big Louie’s.
With sincere admiration and appreciation to Big Louie and acknowledgement to Little Tony’s Cuore Matto (Crazy Heart, in Italian) and Don McLean’s “American Pie.”
Louis Zanotti died after a four-year battle with cancer on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. He was 64.
A musical giant (literally and figuratively) in Windsor, Ontario, he was the founder and leader of Big Louie and the Band. They entertained generations of fans at weddings, celebrations and on dance floors over the years including at his retirement party on July 12, 2024.
To every man and woman, those who knew Big Louie remember his smile, charm, kindness and generosity. And, of course, his music.
Claudio D’Andrea has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and online publications for about 40 years and has published a book of short fiction, Stories in the Key of Song. Visit him at claudiodandrea.ca or read his stuff on LinkedIn and Medium.com and follow him on Bluesky.
Claudio D'Andrea 
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