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Stratos Dionysiou
Birth name Stratos Dionysiou
Also known as To Geraki tis pistas
Born (1935-11-08)November 8, 1935
Nigrita, Serres, Greece
Died May 11, 1990(1990-05-11) (aged 54)
Athens, Greece
Genres Laïko, rebetiko
Occupation(s) Singer, Composer, Lyricist
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1958–1990

Stratos Dionysiou (Greek: Στράτος Διονυσίου; November 8, 1935 – May 11, 1990) was a famous Greek singer, composer, and lyricist. People often called him "To Geraki tis Pistas," which means "The hawk of the stage." He was known for his powerful voice and emotional songs.

Early Life and Family

Stratos Dionysiou was born on November 8, 1935. His hometown was Nigrita, in the Serres region of Greece. His parents, Angelos and Stasa Dionysiou, were refugees. They had moved from Ayvali in Asia Minor.

In 1947, Stratos moved to Thessaloniki, a big city in Greece. A year later, his father passed away. In 1955, he married his childhood sweetheart, Georgia Laveni. They had four children together: Angelos, Tasoula, Stelios, and Diamantis. Stratos was also a big fan of the PAOK sports team.

Stratos Dionysiou's Singing Journey

Starting His Music Career

Stratos Dionysiou began his singing journey by performing for free. He sang in nightclubs in Thessaloniki. Before becoming a professional singer, he worked as a peddler and a tailor. His first professional performance was at a nightclub called "Farida."

From his very first shows in the 1950s, other artists noticed Stratos. They encouraged him to move to Athens. They believed he could work with more famous musicians there.

Moving to Athens and First Hits

Stratos left Thessaloniki to grow his singing career in Athens. He performed at the "Asteras" nightclub. There, he sang with the well-known singer Kaity Grey. In 1958, he recorded his first song. It was called "Parages kai PalatIa" (Shacks and Palaces).

A year later, he recorded "Ego den eimai enoxos" (I am not Guilty). This song became very popular. Many people connected its lyrics to a famous legal case at the time. Stratos signed with the "Columbia" record company. He sang songs by many famous writers. He also re-recorded older Greek songs. These were from the rebetiko music style.

Becoming a Star

Stratos Dionysiou became very famous in the late 1960s. He turned many songs by Akis Panou into big hits. Some of these popular songs include "Και τι δεν κάνω" (What don't I do) and "Στο σταθμό του Μονάχου" (At Munich Station). He even sang Greek versions of Indian songs. One example is "Kardia mou kaimeni" (My poor heart).

In 1969, a famous composer named Mimis Plessas heard Stratos sing. Two months later, Plessas wrote a legendary song for him. It was called "Vrehi fotia stin strata mou" (Fire is raining down my path). This song was featured in a 1970 movie. Stratos then released other successful songs. He also toured the United States, where he was very popular. In the early 1970s, he worked with other great singers. These included Haris Alexiou and Lizeta Nikolaou.

Facing Challenges and a Big Comeback

In 1973, Stratos Dionysiou faced legal trouble. He was held for a period of time. He said it was a setup by others in the music business. He was later released from prison in 1976. During this difficult time, his friend and fellow singer Tolis Voskopoulos supported him. While he was in prison, Stratos even recorded an album called "Pali Mazi mas."

After his release, it was hard for Stratos to get back into music. Many companies and club owners did not want to work with him. But Stratos did not give up. He kept trying and eventually signed with the Minos company. The company director, Makis Matsas, was unsure at first. Stratos's past legal issues made things difficult. Also, another big singer, Stelios Kazantzidis, was with Minos. Matsas worried about having two huge stars in one place.

Stratos pushed for the chance. They agreed to a contract with tough rules. If his first album did not sell more than 30,000 copies, their partnership would end. The album was called "Ypokrinese" (You are pretending). It sold over 100,000 copies in just a few months! Stratos's hard work paid off. His big "comeback" was a huge success. Many more hit songs followed. These included "I packed up the things" and "You took everything and left."

Success in the 1980s

In the 1980s, Stratos Dionysiou broke all sales records. He created many huge hits. These songs are still popular today. They are played on the radio as if they were new. Songs like "You took it all," "Listen, my friend," and "The people want a song" became classics. In 1987, he opened his own nightclub in Athens. It was simply called "Stratos."

Personal Life

Stratos Dionysiou married Georgia Laveni in 1955. They had four children: Angelos, Stelios, Diamantis, and Tasoula. Three of his children, Angelos, Diamantis, and Stelios, also became singers. Sadly, his daughter Tasoula passed away in 2012 at age 53.

Stratos also had a relationship with singer Marina Vlaxaki. She was his backing vocalist from 1980 to 1989.

His Views on the World

Stratos Dionysiou described himself as a "New Democrat." However, he believed that all political parties ended up with similar problems. He was critical of how much influence America had in Greece. He once said that he felt Greece was being told what to do by "the big bosses, the Americans." He wished for Greece to be more independent.

His Passing

Stratos Dionysiou passed away in Athens on May 11, 1990. He was 55 years old. The cause was a serious health issue called an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

His funeral was held at the First Cemetery of Athens. Hundreds of people attended, including many other singers and actors. Just hours before he died, he was singing at his nightclub, "Stratos." That same afternoon, he had recorded nine songs for his next album. This album, "Poios allos" (Who Else), was released a month after his death. It became a best-seller. The last song he recorded that day was "Don't leave me alone."

His Lasting Impact

Stratos Dionysiou's funeral was a huge event. People pushed to get close to his body. Some even climbed on nearby graves to see, showing how much they loved him. Many people were crying. Giorgos Polychroniadis, who sang with Stratos, said he was amazed by how many ordinary people loved him. People said goodbye to their favorite singer by singing his songs.

Stratos Dionysiou's death left a big empty space in Greek music. But his songs live on. They are still heard today and continue to be loved by many. After his death, singer Notis Sfakianakis released a song called "o Stratos" in his honor.

Discography

Year Title Notes
1969 Στράτος Διονυσίου
1970 Μαζί με το Στράτο
1971 Στράτος Διονυσίου (3)
1972 4.5.3 Contributed 5 songs
1972 Στράτος Διονυσίου 4
1973 Μπαγλαμάδες και μπουζούκια
1974 Νεώτερα κι ανώτερα Contributed 6 songs
1974 Τα 12 του Στράτου
1974 Χρυσός Δίσκος Contributed 2 songs
1975 Τραγουδά Άκη Πάνου
1976 Πάλι μαζί μας
1976 Πικρά κι ανθρώπινα
1977 14 Χρυσές Επιτυχίες
1977 Αν ξαναζούσα
1977 Αξέχαστα τραγούδια
1978 14 Χρυσές Επιτυχίες Νο 2
1978 Τα Ορθόδοξα Sold 50,000 copies (Golden Disk)
1979 Γυναίκες γυναίκες
1980 Υποκρίνεσαι Sold 100,000 copies (Platinum Disk)
1981 Όλα είναι δανεικά Sold 100,000 copies (Platinum Disk)
1981 Τα ωραία του Διονυσίου
1982 Αξέχαστες επιτυχίες
1982 Θυμήσου Sold 50,000 copies (Golden Disk)
1983 Αξέχαστες επιτυχίες 2
1983 Της γυναίκας η καρδιά Sold 50,000 copies (Golden Disk)
1984 Λαϊκά και πάσης Ελλάδος Contributed 5 songs, sold 50,000 copies (Golden Disk)
1984 Μόνο οι ερωτευμένοι Sold 50,000 copies (Golden Disk)
1985 Αυτά που τραγουδήσαμε
1985 Ο Σαλονικιός Sold 100,000 copies (Platinum Disk)
1986 Για πάντα
1986 Ο ταξιτζής Contributed 5 songs, sold 50,000 copies (Golden Disk)
1987 Δυο δυο Contributed 7 songs
1987 Κράτησε με Contributed 2 songs
1987 Οι Μεγαλύτερες Επιτυχίες Του
1987 Ο λαός τραγούδι θέλει Sold 50,000 copies (Golden Disk)
1987 Ζωντανή Ηχογράφηση Contributed 2 songs
1988 Εγώ ο ξένος Sold 150,000 copies (Platinum Disk)
1989 Νομίζεις Sold 100,000 copies (Platinum Disk)

Posthumous Albums

Year Title Notes
1990 Ποιος Αλλος Sold 130,000 copies (Platinum Disk)
1990 30 Χρονια Επιτυχιες 2 CDs, sold 200,000 copies (Platinum Disk)
1990 Mega Souxe
1991 Η Ελλάδα Του Στέλιου και Του Στράτου
1991 Στα Ξενυχτάδικα Της Αγκαλιάς Σου (Συμμετοχή 2 Τραγούδια)
1991 Τα Λαϊκά
1991 Τραγούδια για τούς φίλους του
1993 Τα Ζεϊμπέκικα Του Γρηγόρη και Του Στράτου
1994 Από τους θησαυρούς των 45 στροφών
1994 Τα Ωραία του Διονυσίου
1995 Αξέχαστες Επιτυχίες Νο 2
1996 Τραγούδια από τις 45 στροφές 1
1996 Τα Σπάνια
1997 Αξέχαστα τραγούδια
1997 Τραγούδια από τις 45 στροφές 2
1997 Τα τραγούδια που αγαπήσαμε
1998 Αγάπης βάσανα
1998 Τραγούδια από τις 45 στροφές 3
2000 Άκου βρε φίλε
2000 Τραγούδια από τις 45 στροφές 4
2000 Οι Μεγαλύτερες Επιτυχίες Του
2000 Πρώτη Εκτέλεση (Συμμετοχή 3 Τραγούδια)
2001 Τραγούδια από τις 45 στροφές 5
2002 Οι Μεγαλύτερες Επιτυχίες Του Νο 2
2002 Τα Αυθεντικά (4 Cd)
2003 Βρέχει φωτιά στη στράτα μου (2 Cd)
2004 Τ΄αγκάθια της καρδιάς
2004 Της Νύχτας Το Μινόρε
2005 Ο Στεναγμός Μου
2005 Τα τραγούδια του Στράτου (2 Cd)
2006 14 Μεγάλα Τραγούδια
2006 14 Μεγάλα Τραγούδια Νο 2
2006 Για Πάντα Live Στην Αμερική (2 Cd)
2006 Ανθολογία - 1934-1990 (4 Cd)
2007 Ένας Δίσκος Η Ζωή Του (6 Cd)
2007 Τραγουδάει Μίμη Πλέσσα (2 Cd)
2007 Τραγουδάει Τάκη Σούκα (2 Cd)
2008 Βρέχει φωτιά στη στράτα μου (4 Cd)
2008 Χρυσή Δισκοθήκη
2009 Αφιέρωμα Στο Στράτο
2009 Live Ηχογραφήσεις (2 CD)
2009 Ντοκουμέντα
2009 Ο Λαός Τραγούδι Θέλει (6 CD)
2012 Ο Λαός Τραγούδι Θέλει Best of (4 CD)
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