Markos Vamvakaris (May 10, 1905 in Ano Chora in Syros - February 8, 1972) (Greek: Μάρκος Βαμβακάρης), was one of the most important rebetiko musicians of all time. May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Rebetiko, plural rebetika, (Greek ρεμπέτικο and ρεμπέτικα respectively) is the name for a type of urban Greek music. ...

Biography

Markos Vamvakaris was born on May 10, 1905 in Ano Chora in Syros from a Roman Catholic family. May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ...

At the age of 12, believing he was wanted by the police, Vamvakaris left Syros and went to Piraeus. He worked as a stevedore, employee at a pit-coal mine, polisher, paperman, butcher and other jobs. He heard a bouzouki player called Crazy Nick playing, and swore that if he did not learn to play the instrument in six months he would cut off his hand with a cleaver (he was working in the Athens slaughterhouse at the time). He learned bouzouki, becoming an innovative virtuoso player, and began to compose music, and write songs. At first he often played in hashish smoking establishments known as Tekes, later he and his band, which included Giorgos Batis, Anestis Delias and Stratos Pagioumtzis played in more legitimate clubs. They were extremely popular, and Markos made many recordings. View of Piraeus A night ferry about to leave the port of Piraeus for the Dodecanese Piraeus, or Peiraeus (Modern Greek: Πειραιάς Peiraiás or Pireás, Ancient Greek / Katharevousa: Πειραιεύς Pireéfs) is a city in the periphery of Attica, Greece, located south of Athens. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Greece, and the birthplace of democracy. ... Greek (tetrachordo) Bouzouki The bouzouki (gr. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Yiorgos Batis (Greek: Γιώργος Μπάτης, also Giorgos Batis) (1885 - March 10, 1967) was one of the first rebetes influential to rebetiko music. ...

Vamvakaris recorded his first rebetiko disc, Na 'Rchosouna Re Magka Mou (Να 'ρχόσουνα ρε μάγκα μου) in 1934. Among other songs in that period, he wrote the classic "Frankosyriani"(Φραγκοσυριανή) which is one of his most well known songs , and was addressed to a Catholic girl from Syros. 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

After the liberation of Greece from the occupation of Nazi Germany, difficult times arrived, since his kind of music was no longer fashionable. He had to amend many of his songs during the dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas. He also suffered badly with arthritis in his hands. The slump in his fortunes lasted until the end of the 1950s, when after initiatives by Vassilis Tsitsanis, many of his old songs were revived, sung by famous artists including Grigoris Bithikotsis, and Stratos Dionysiou. That was how he made his comeback on the scene, becoming known as one of the greatest figures of rebetiko. Vamvakaris died on February 8, 1972 at the age of 66. Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Ioannis Metaxas Ioannis Metaxas (Greek Ιωάννης Μεταξάς, April 12, 1871 – January 29, 1941) was a Greek General and the Prime Minister of Greece from 1936 until his death. ... this is a very painful thing my name is lauren!!!!! haha muaha muaha muahaha Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a group of conditions where there is damage caused to the joints of the body. ... The 1950s was the decade spanning the years 1950 to 1959. ... Vassilis Tsitsanis (Greek Βασίλης Τσιτσάνης January 18, 1915 - January 18, 1984) was a Greek singer and songwriter. ... Grigoris Bithikotsis (Γρηγόρης Μπιθικώτσης) (December 11, 1922 - April 7, 2005) was a popular Greek folk singer, one of the greatest in his country. ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

External links

• The Markos Vamvakaris Archive