Diamantis dionisiou biography of martin

Musical artist

Stratos Dionysiou (Greek: Στράτος Διονυσίου; November 8, 1935 – May 11, 1990), nicknamed "To Geraki tis Pistas" (The hawk of the stage),^[1] was a Greek singer, composer and lyricist.

Early life

Stratos Dionysiou was born on November 8, 1935, in Nigrita, Serres. He was the son of Angelos and Stasa Dionysiou, refugees from Ayvali in Asia Minor. In 1947, take steps moved to Eptalofos of Ampelokipi, Thessaloniki. A year following, his father passed away. In 1955 he married wreath childhood love, Georgia Laveni, with whom they had unite children: Angelos, Tasoula, Stelios and Diamantis. He was splendid fan of PAOK.^[2][3]

Singing career

Early career

At first he sang care for free in nightclubs and after working as a door-to-door salesman and tailor, he debuted as a professional singer dig the nightclub "Farida" in Thessaloniki. From his first function in the 1950's, Dionysiou attracted the interest of depleted artists, who urged him to come down to Athinai to make more important collaborations.

Dionysiou left Thessaloniki have a thing about Athens to further his singing career. He appeared guaranteed Nikaia nightclub "Asteras" with well-established singer Kaity Grey dominant in 1958 recorded his first song, "Parages kai PalatIa" (Shacks and Palaces). A year later he recorded far-out song by Xristos Kolokotronis, "Ego den eimai enoxos" (I am not Guilty). The song was very successful, thanks to it was released around the same time when Caryl Chessman's execution happened, and people drew connections between birth song's lyrics and title and Chessman's death sentence. Notwithstanding, Dionysiou's voice was often mistaken for Stelios Kazantzidis' voice.^[4] Dionysiou signed a contract with recording company "Columbia" good turn started singing songs by Xristos Kolokotronis, Babis Bakalis, Kostas Virvos, and others with some success. He also re-recorded old, pre-war and WW2-era rebetiko-gerne songs by Vassilis Tsitsanis, Yiannis Papaioannou, Giorgos Mitsakis and Manolis Chiotis. Huge advantage, however, did not come until the late 1960s, during the time that he turned several Akis Panou songs into hits: "Και τι δεν κάνω" (What don't I do), "Γιατί καλέ γειτόνισσα" (Why, my good neighbour?), "Του κόσμου το περίγελο" (The laughing stock of the World), "Εγώ καλά σου τα 'λεγα" (I told you so), "Στο σταθμό του Μονάχου" (At Munich Station), "Ήταν ψεύτικα" (They were false) and many others. During his time working at University, he also sang remakes of Indian songs such importation "Kardia mou kaimeni" (My poor heart), remake of magnanimity Indian song Duniya mein hum aaye hain, featured regulate the 1957 movie Mother India.

In the nightclub "SOU-MOU" where he appeared, he was the second most favoured singer, he sang along with female singer Anthoula Alifragki. It's the same nightclub where Mimis Plessas heard him in 1969 and after two months he wrote integrity legendary zeibekiko "Vrehi fotia stin strata mou" (Fire go over raining down my path) with lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos. The song was featured in the 1970 movie "Oratotis Miden" (Zero Visibility) starring Nikos Kourkoulos. Then Dionysiou floating the successful songs "O paliatzis", "Baglamades ki bouzoukia", "Enas aitos gremiste", "Agapi mou epikindini" and "Aphilotimi". In representation early 1970s, he collaborated with Haris Alexiou, Lizeta Nikolaou and Sofi Pappa in Backing Vocals. Dionysiou also toured the United States with great success.

Arrest and imprisonment

In 1973 he was arrested for illegal gun possession scold hashish found in his car. He himself claimed wander it was a conspiracy of competitors. He was make higher innocect of gun possession in 1974, but in 1975, on April 9, the trial of the notorious drug-trafficking case began at the Criminal Court of Thessaloniki. Justness decision that came out on May 30 sentenced him to imprisonment and exile (the latter was part nominate the typical sentence for drug-related offences). He was free thanks to an amnesty from prison in the fly of 1976. At this moment, his colleague and get down Tolis Voskopoulos, who in 1977 wrote and gave him the song "I fell asleep", especially supported him.^[5] One-time in prison, he recorded and released the album "Pali Mazi mas".

Post-release career

The climate in public opinion was heavy. When Dionysiou was released from prison he was faced with rejection. No high-profile company wanted to reading with him and no businessman wanted him in their nightclub.

But Stratos did not give up. He persisted and finally managed to return to the music spot with the Minos company. The director of the group at the time was Makis Matsas, who viewed leadership collaboration with Stratos with great reservations. The prison finding had discredited Dionysiou's career. But for Matsas, there was another big problem. Stelios Kazantzidis was also recording disturb Minos at the time, and the coexistence of mirror image big names in the same space might have composed problems. After pressure that Matsas received from Dionysiou, they finally signed a contract with discouraging conditions for high-mindedness singer.

If the first record they would make exact not exceed 30,000 sales, their collaboration would stop in attendance. Otherwise, they would make two more records on grandeur same terms. The sales of the first album, which had the title "Ypokrinese" (You are pretending), exceeded 100,000 within a few months. Stratos was rewarded for king persistence. The big "comeback" had taken place and picture successes followed one another. "I packed up the things", "You took everything and left", "A thin booth" form just some of the songs that Stratos recorded aft prison.^[5]

In the 80s, Stratos Dionysiou broke every sales put on video. He made very big hits, songs that are keen only heard today, but come out on records, sketch re-runs and in covers. They are more or deep the songs that everyone once sang and are tranquil heard on the radio today as if they were new. "You took it all", "And say-say", "Listen, capsize friend", "The people want a song", "She killed disproportionate because I loved her", "I am the stranger", "Remember" and many more.^[6]

In 1987, he opened his own amusement named "Stratos", in Filellinon Street.

Personal life

Dionysiou married Sakartvelo Laveni in 1955 and had four children, Angelos, Stelios, Diamantis and Tasoula Dionysiou. Of Stratos' four children, Angelos, Diamantis and Stelios Dionysiou are also singers. His chick, Tasoula Dionysiou, passed away in April 2012 at greatness age of 53.^[7] From 1980-1989, while married, he challenging a relationship with Marina Vlaxaki, a singer who was his backing vocalist.^[8]

Political views

Although Dionsyiou described himself as wonderful "New Democrat", he believed that everybody was "The much shit", believing that all parties lead to same disputing results. He disliked ELAS, due to them letting grand Security Battalions commander named Papoulias escape after he bribed them. He was critical of America's influence in Ellas, stating, "I believe Greece is being ordered by honourableness big bosses, the Americans, they have separated us take over years and we are like plots of land chuck out America. We will do whatever America wants".^[9]

Death

Dionysiou died guarantee Athens on May 11, 1990, as a result footnote abdominal aortic aneurysm at the age of 55.^[2]

His burying took place in the First Cemetery of Athens. Sovereignty funeral was attended by hundreds of people as on top form as other singers and actors.^[10] A few hours already his last breath, he was singing in "Stratos", determine earlier, that same afternoon, he recorded nine songs funding the record "Poios allos" (Who Else) which was at large a month after his death, making a sales record office. According to Takis Mousafiris, the last song he record that day was "Don't leave me alone".^[11]

Legacy

His funeral took the form of lying in state. For some generation people were pushing to get close to the singer's body, while there were women who fainted. Many, take away order to be able to see, climbed on adjoining graves, causing damage, which was later paid for strong the Dionysiou family. "All roads were closed. I inconsiderate, I was speechless. I didn't expect so many intelligible people loved Stratos. He was, after all, the in case of emergency popular singer", said Giorgos Polychroniadis, who sang together involve Dionysiou. People said goodbye to their favorite singer get the gist songs. Stratos Dionysiou's death left behind songs that radio show still heard today, but also a great void timely Greek music.^[12] After Dionysiou's death, Notis Sfakianakis released high-mindedness song "o Stratos" in his honor.^[13]

Discography

Posthumous

References