[citation needed] Singer-songwriter Gino Paoli hearing Dalla's vocal qualities, suggested that he attempt a soloist career as a soul singer.

His first single, a rendition in Italian of the American traditional standard "Careless Love" was a failure, as it was his first album, 1999, that was released the following year.

His next album, Terra di Gaibola (from the name of a suburb of Bologna), was released in 1970 and contained some early Dalla classics.

[3] Dalla's recording debut as a soloist took place in 1964, with the release of the 45 rpm-single "Lei (non è per me)" (B-side: "Ma questa sera").

Roversi wrote the lyrics to Dalla's next three albums Il giorno aveva cinque teste (The Day Had Five Heads) (1973), Anidride solforosa (Sulphur dioxide) (1975) and Automobili (Automobiles) (1976).

Although these albums did not sell in large numbers, they were noted by critics for the unusual mix of Roversi's lyrics with Dalla's improvisations, along with the latter's sometimes experimental twists and composition abilities.

The first album of this new phase was Com'è profondo il mare (1977), in which Dalla was accompanied by members of future pop band Stadio.

The song "Caruso", released in 1986, has been covered by numerous international artists such as Luciano Pavarotti and Julio Iglesias.

[13] On the morning of 1 March 2012, three days before his 69th birthday, Dalla died of a heart attack, shortly after having breakfast at the hotel where he was staying in Montreux, Switzerland, having performed in the city the night before.