Former Canadian teen idol dead

Bobby Curtola, a former Canadian teen idol and singer with a string of Canadian hits in the 1960s, has died at the age of 73, his family said.

Curtola's death was announced in a statement by his children, who described Curtola "an amazing man who did so much for the people in this world", Xinhua news agency reported.

A rock and roll singer and teen idol in Canada during the early 1960s, Curtola made his mark internationally in 1962 with the singles Fortune Teller and Aladdin.

Robert Allen "Bobby" Curtola was born in Port Arthur (now part of Thunder Bay), Ontario, in 1943. He was named for the Order of Canada, the highest civilian honour in the country, in 1997 in recognition of his long service to the Canadian music industry and humanitarian work around the world, particularly for children.