Giannis Poulopoulos (Greek: Γιάννης Πουλόπουλος, a.k.a. John Poulopoulos; 29 June 1941 – 23 August 2020) was a Greek singer-songwriter, who had several hits in Greece during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. In terms of total album sales, he is the fourth biggest-selling Greek singer of all time.

Life

Poulopoulos was born in Mani, Greece. Shortly after his birth, his parents, originally from

Messenia Messenia or Messinia ( ; el, Μεσσηνία ) is a regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, in Greece. Until the implementation of the Kallikratis plan on 1 January 2011, Messenia was a ...

, moved to the Saint Ierotheos region of

Peristeri Peristeri (Greek: Περιστέρι, meaning "pigeon/dove" in Greek) is a suburban municipality in the western part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. With 139,981 inhabitants (2011 census), it is the seventh-largest municipality of Greece by ...

, near

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

. Poulopoulos liked singing from an early age. Prompted by friends, he unsuccessfully sought an audition with Columbia Records, while also working as a builder, playing football in Saint Ierotheos for the Courageous team, and producing oil paintings. Aged 19, Poulopoulos secured auditions with

Mikis Theodorakis Michail "Mikis" Theodorakis ( el, Μιχαήλ "Μίκης" Θεοδωράκης ; 29 July 1925 – 2 September 2021) was a Greek composer and lyricist credited with over 1,000 works. He scored for the films ''Zorba the Greek'' (1964), '' Z'' ...

Apostolos Kaldaras Apostolos may refer to: * The Apostolos (Eastern Orthodox liturgy), a book containing texts traditionally believed to be authored by one of the twelve apostles (disciples) – various epistles and the ''Acts of the Apostles'' – from which one is ...

Vassilis Tsitsanis Vassilis Tsitsanis ( el, Βασίλης Τσιτσάνης 18 January 1915 – 18 January 1984) was a Greek songwriter and bouzouki player. He became one of the leading Greek composers of his time and is widely regarded as one of the founders of ...

, and

Giannis Papaioannou Giannis Papaioannou ( el, Γιάννης Παπαϊωάννου; January 18, 1913 – August 3, 1972) was a famous Greek musician and composer born in Kios, Ottoman Empire (now Gemlik, Turkey). In English his name is sometimes romanticized as ''Y ...

, and sang two songs, ''Mana mou kai Panagia'' ("My Mother and the Madonna") and ''Parapono'' ("Complaint"). Poulopoulos impressed Theodorakis at his first audition, and Theodorakis arranged for Poulopoulos to sing three songs in a theatrical production by Nikos Kourkoulos and Tzeni Karezi of Iakovos Kambanellis's play, ''The Neighbourhood of Angels''. Grigoris Bithikotsis later performed

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

s of the first three songs ("Set a table for two," "Glory to God" and "Bread is on the Table") that Poulopoulos recorded. Poulopoulos sang regularly in a music hall in

Plaka Pláka ( el, Πλάκα) is the old historical neighborhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. Plaka is built on top of the residenti ...

. He recorded four or five

45rpm A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts nea ...

disks for Columbia Records, which are now difficult to find as he soon agreed to record for Lyra, for whom he recorded three songs by

. In 1965 he was the first performer of four songs written by Manos Loïzos. Around the same time he also had a successful hit with ''Mi mu thymonis matia mou'' (Don't be angry with me, my love) composed by Stavros Koujioumtzis. Later on he recorded songs by George Kontogeorgos, included in the LP "Gyspy Day". By 1966, his records were being distributed more widely, and his songs were featured in films. In ''Oi Stigmatismenoi'' ("The Stigmatized"), which starred Giorgos Foundas and Maro Kodou, he sang "Very late" and "I love you" with Helen Kladi. In ''O Tetraperatos'' ("The Cunning") with Kostas Chatzichristos he sang "In Piraeus, in Piraeus" by

Giorgos Katsaros Giorgos Katsaros ( el, Γιώργος Κατσαρός) (born on 7 March 1934 in Corfu) is a famous Greek musician and songwriter. He plays the alto saxophone. He has made a variety of recordings, collaborating amongst others with Greek musical ...

, and in the romantic comedy ''Tzeni-Tzeni'' he and Tzeni Karezi performed a song by Giannis Markopoulos. He died in Haidari, at age 79, following chronic heart problems.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Poulopoulos, Giannis 1941 births 2020 deaths 20th-century Greek male singers Greek laïko singers Greek singer-songwriters Columbia Records artists Singers from Athens