Stratos Dionysiou
Encyclopedia
Stratos Dionysiou was a Greek
laika
and elafro-laika singer who featured predominantly in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
prefecture, to Asia Minor
refugees Angelos and Stasa Dionysiou. At age 13, he lost his father. These early childhood experiences would have a deep impact on the style of Stratos' music, and were a great influence to him.
Dionysiou went to work as a tailor and was married, at age 20, to Georgia Laveni. The couple would have four children. While still working as a tailor, he also appeared in night clubs in Thessaloniki
where he had moved.
for Athens
to further his singing career. He appeared in Nikaia
night club "Asteras" with well-established singer Kaity Grey and in 1959 recorded his first song. The 24-year old singer was signed by recording company "Columbia" and started singing songs by Babis Bakalis, Kostas Virvos and others with some success. He next re-recorded older songs by laika masters such as Vassilis Tsitsanis
, Yiannis Papaioannou, Giorgos Mitsakis and Manolis Chiotis
. Success, however would not come until the late 1960s when he turned several Akis Panos 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.
Composer Mimis Plessas then came into the picture and gave him his mega hit "Βρέχει φωτιά στη στράτα μου" (Fire is raining down my path), a song whose lyrics were written by Lefteris Papadopoulos. Dionysiou toured the United States with great success and was going from strength to strength when his career was abruptly haulted by his arrest. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment which he served in Tiryntha, Argolis prefecture.
Dionysiou recorded even in prison and continued after his release in 1976. He successfully switched from laika to a more western "elafro-laiko" type of music and enjoyed great popularity even with the younger crowd into the 1980s.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
laika
Laïkó
Laïkó ), is a Greek music genre. Also called folk song or urban folk music , in its plural form is a Greek music genre which has taken many forms over the years...
and elafro-laika singer who featured predominantly in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Early life
Dionysiou was born in Nigrita, SerresSerres
Serres is a city in Greece, seat of the Serres prefecture.Serres may also refer to:Places:* Serres, Germany, a part of Wiernsheim in Baden-WürttembergIn France:* Serres, Aude in the Aude département...
prefecture, to Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
refugees Angelos and Stasa Dionysiou. At age 13, he lost his father. These early childhood experiences would have a deep impact on the style of Stratos' music, and were a great influence to him.
Dionysiou went to work as a tailor and was married, at age 20, to Georgia Laveni. The couple would have four children. While still working as a tailor, he also appeared in night clubs in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
where he had moved.
Singing career
Dionysiou left ThessalonikiThessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
for Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
to further his singing career. He appeared in Nikaia
Nikaia, Attica
Nikaia is a suburb in the northern part of Piraeus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nikaia-Agios Ioannis Rentis, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.-Geography:...
night club "Asteras" with well-established singer Kaity Grey and in 1959 recorded his first song. The 24-year old singer was signed by recording company "Columbia" and started singing songs by Babis Bakalis, Kostas Virvos and others with some success. He next re-recorded older songs by laika masters such as Vassilis Tsitsanis
Vassilis Tsitsanis
Vassilis Tsitsanis 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 modern Rebetika. Tsitsanis wrote more than 500 songs and is still remembered as an extraordinary bouzouki...
, Yiannis Papaioannou, Giorgos Mitsakis and Manolis Chiotis
Manolis Chiotis
Manolis Chiotis was a Greek Rebetiko composer, singer and bouzouki player. He was born on March 21, 1920 in Thessaloniki and died in 1970.- See also :* Bouzouki* Rebetes* Rebetiko* Laiko* Greek nightclubs* Greek music...
. Success, however would not come until the late 1960s when he turned several Akis Panos 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.
Composer Mimis Plessas then came into the picture and gave him his mega hit "Βρέχει φωτιά στη στράτα μου" (Fire is raining down my path), a song whose lyrics were written by Lefteris Papadopoulos. Dionysiou toured the United States with great success and was going from strength to strength when his career was abruptly haulted by his arrest. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment which he served in Tiryntha, Argolis prefecture.
Dionysiou recorded even in prison and continued after his release in 1976. He successfully switched from laika to a more western "elafro-laiko" type of music and enjoyed great popularity even with the younger crowd into the 1980s.