Vasilis Karras (; born Vasilis Kesoglidis, 12 November 1953 – 24 December 2023) was a Greek

laïko Laïko or laïkó (, ; "

ong Ong or ONG may refer to: Arts and media * Ong's Hat, a collaborative work of fiction * “Ong Ong”, a song by Blur from the album The Magic Whip Places * Ong, Nebraska, US, city * Ong's Hat, New Jersey, US, ghost town * Ong River, Odisha, ...

of the people", "popular

; ) is a Greece, Greek folk-pop music genre in accordance with the tradition of the Greeks, Greek people. Also referred to as "folk song" or "urban folk music" () in its plural for ...

singer.

Early life

Karras was born on 12 November 1953 in Kokkinohori,

Kavala Kavala (, ''Kavála'' ) is a city in northern Greece, the principal seaport of eastern Macedonia and the capital of Kavala regional unit. It is situated on the Bay of Kavala, across from the island of Thasos and on the A2 motorway, a one-and ...

, Greece, to Pontian parents. At the age of 10, his family moved to

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...

, where his brother and sister were born.

Career

In the 1970s, Karras gained a reputation on the Greek laiko (

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...

songs) stage singing throughout Northern Greece, and towards the end of the decade had begun to develop his own repertoire, working with song writers and also creating his own work. His first album ''Alismonites ores'' was released in 1980 and around this time he decided to devote his life and career to folk music and sing professionally. Partnerships with

Michalis Rakintzis Mihalis Rakintzis (Greek: Μιχάλης Ρακιντζής; born on 3 April 1957) is a Greek singer. He was born in Athens and studied Mechanical Engineering in the United Kingdom.Zafeiris Melas Zafeiris Melas or Zafiris Melas (Greek: Ζαφείρης Μελάς) is a Greek contemporary pop-folk laïko singer. He was born in Xanthi to Romani parents and grew up in a poor neighbourhood. In his youth, he started performing in local groups ...

and Konstantina also furthered his reputation in Greece. In 1996, Karras contacted songwriter

Phoebus Apollo is one of the Olympian deities in ancient Greek and Roman religion and Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, ...

with the prospect of creating an album based on his songs. The result was the hit album ''Tilefonise mou'' which went two time platinum and is Karras' all time best-seller. This album also started a new era for Karras: the introduction of a modern, western upbeat style to his music, which complemented his bouzouki-based folk/dance songs. Karras and Phoebus also partnered for the 1999 album ''Epistrefo'', a perennial mainstay in his club repertoire, with many hit singles. Latterly he partnered with other mainstays of the Greek music scene such as

Tolis Voskopoulos __notoc__ Apostolos "Tolis" Voskopoulos (; 26 July 1940 – 19 July 2021) was one of the legends of modern Greek music The music of Greece is as diverse and celebrated as its History of Greece, history. Greek music separates into two parts: ...

Christos Dantis Christos Dantis (; born Christos Vlachakis, 26 September 1966), is a Greek multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, lyricist, and record producer best known for his hits such as "To Palio Mou Palto" and "Ena Tragoudi Akoma" and later for co-w ...

, Eirini Merkouri, Konstantina Konstantinou, Kostas Karafotis, Despina Vandi,

Pantelis Pantelidis Pantelis Pantelidis (; 23 November 1983 – 18 February 2016) was a Greek singer, songwriter and lyricist. He died on 18 February 2016 in a car crash. Biography Born on November 23, 1983, Pantelis Pantelidis grew up in Nea Ionia, a small suburb ...

Paola Paola is a female given name, the Italian form of the name Paula. In Greek it is Polina. Notable people with the name include: People In arts and entertainment * Paola Del Medico (born 1950), Swiss singer *Paola e Chiara, pop music duo consist ...

and others, writing and performing many duets in their respective albums. His last album was released in early 2020, titled Rotas An Se Eho Erotefthi. Throughout his career he emphasized his love for his hometown and wrote and sang many songs about

reminiscing about his childhood and early loves including "Den Pao Pouthena", "Nychta Kselogiastra", "Erhomai" and "Gia Afto Stasou".

Personal life and death

He was married to Christina Kesoglides and together they had a daughter, Irene. Karras, who was battling

terminal Terminal may refer to: Computing Hardware * Computer terminal, a set of primary input and output devices for a computer * Terminal (electronics), a device for joining electrical circuits together ** Battery terminal, electrical contact used to ...

cancer, contracted

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

and later died from cardiac arrest due to COVID at a Thessaloniki hospital on the Christmas Eve of 2023, at the age of 70.

Discography

* ''Alismonites ores'' (1980) * ''Ti les kale'' (1982) * ''Giati na horisoume'' (1984) * ''Mi hathis'' (1985) * ''Apo ti Thessaloniki me agapi'' (1987) * ''Apoklistika gia sena'' (1988) * ''Afti h nyxta'' (1989) * ''Eisai pantou'' (1990) * ''Lege oti thes'' (1991) * ''Asteria tou Borra'' (1991) * ''Den pao pouthena'' (1992) * ''Tragoudia ap'to sirtari'' (1992) * ''Nichta xelogiastra'' (1993) * ''Pos tolmas'' (1993) * ''O ilios tou himona me melagholi'' (1993) * ''Sti Saliniki mia fora'' (1994) * ''Hreose to se mena'' (1994) * ''Mia bradia sta nea dilina'' (1995) * ''10 xronia'' (1995) * ''Ftes esi'' (1995) * '' Tilefonise mou'' (1996) * ''Erhome'' (1996) (Song: "To dilitirio") * ''M'echis kani aliti'' (1997) * ''S'ena bradi oti zisoume'' (1997) * ''Brechi sti Thessaloniki'' (1997) * '' Fenomeno'' (1998)-CD Single * ''Astin na leei'' (1999) * ''Epistrefo'' (1999) * ''20 xronia'' (1999) * ''I megaliteres epitichies'' (2000) * ''Mabri lista'' (2000) * ''Girise'' (2001) * ''Ta dika mou tragoudia'' (2002) * ''Logia tis nichtas'' (2002) * ''Pare to dromo ke ela'' (2003) * ''Basilis Karras DVD'' (2004) * ''Telos'' (2004) * ''Ola ena psema'' (2005) * ''Oneira'' (2007) * ''Ola mou ta hronia live'' (2008) * ''Opos palia'' (2009) * ''Έτσι Λαϊκά'' (''Etsi Laika'') (2012) * ''

Kirios ma ke alitis ''Kirios Ma... Kai Alitis'' (Greek: Κύριος Μα... Και Αλήτης; English: Main But... Also A Bum) is the fortieth studio album by Greek singer Vasilis Karras. It was released on 8 September 2013 as a covermount with Greek newspaper, ...

'' (''Κύριος μα και...αλήτης'') (2013) * ''Ta Kalutera Taxidia'' (2016) * ''Alhth me lene'' (2017) * ''Rotas an s'eho erotefti'' (2020) * ''Ime edo'' (2023)

References

External links

Official website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Karras, Vasilis 1953 births 2023 deaths Greek laïko singers 20th-century Greek male singers Minos EMI artists Singers from Thessaloniki Eastern Orthodox Christians from Greece Greek Macedonians People from Kavala (regional unit) 21st-century Greek male singers Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece