Manolis Chiotis
Manolis Chiotis was a Greek music legend and innovator.
He was born on March 21, 1921 in Thessaloniki, to a well-to-do family that hailed from Nafplio. At an early age he learned and mastered the guitar and the bouzouki.
In 1936, he made his first appearance in Athens, alongside rebetiko singer Stratos Payoumtzis, who took him under his wing. Success soon followed for the young singer who became the first to master the 4-chord bouzouki. He was also the first Greek to perform with an electric guitar which he purchased from a French group on tour.
During his lifetime, Chiotis married three times, all three marriages to singers:
His second marriage created perhaps the best duo in Greek music history. Together with Mary Linda, Manolis Chiotis created the refined "Archontorebetiko" (posh rebetiko) style that was accepted into high-class homes where the old-style rebetiko was not, as it was deemed low-class.
Chiotis passed away on March 21, 1970, on his birthday at the age of 49.
Greatest Hits
- Απόψε φίλα με - Kiss me tonight
- Θεσσαλονίκη μου - My Thessaloniki
- Έρωτά μου κατεργάρη - My nasty love
- Μοιάζεις και συ σαν θάλασσα - You're like the sea
- Απότομα - Suddenly
- Ο πασατέμπος - To pass your time
- Αφού το θες - Since you want it
- Πάρε με στο τηλέφωνο - Call me on the phone
- Ηλιοβασιλέματα - Sun downs
- Περασμένες μου αγάπες - My past loves
