In the first half of the 1980s Minellono was the usual lyricist for Al Bano and Romina Power's and Ricchi e Poveri's songs, contributing to relaunch their careers. Two of his songs won the Sanremo Music Festival, in 1984 Al Bano and Romina's "Ci sarà" and in 1985 Ricchi e Poveri's "Se m'innamoro".