Panos Gavalas
Panos Gavalas was born November 26, 1926 at Kesariani, Athens.
Since his early years he loved music and learned to play instruments like guitar, slide guitar, harmonica and bouzouki. He also did a little singing. First as an amateur singer then emerged as a professional in the early 1950s, at a time where the music stage was dominated by artists the likes of Stratos Payioumtzis, Prodromos Tsaousakis, Stelios Kazantzidis, Grigoris Bithikotsis and many more.
He later cooperated with Nikos Meimarakis and formed a band that played during live broadcasting on the Armed Forces Radio Station (Σταθμός Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων).
He was in the spotlight for more than 40 years. He formed successful duets with female singers Voula Gika and Ria Kourti. He also formed the 'Sonata Recording Company.
The first song that Vasilis Tsitsanis gave him to sing was Inmate forever (Katadikos gia Panta - Κατάδικος για Πάντα PARLOPHONE Β-74379). He wrote and composed a few songs, most successful of which was the song Drizzling Rain (Siganopsichalisma - Σιγανοψιχάλισμα PARLOPHONE Β-74406.
For the most part, he resided at the Kesariani area of Athens. Panos Gavalas died the morning of Saturday, December 3, 1988.