Tolis Voskopoulos dies at 81

Tolis Voskopoulos, whose songs turned into gold and platinum successes multiple times, died on Monday aged 81.

The single son of a large family of Asia Minor migrants, he grew up in Piraeus and was expected to take over his father’s grocery store. Enamored by the theater, and with his parents’ support, Voskopoulos studied at the National Odeum’s drama department.

His theatrical background served him well both on the stage, from his first appearance at 18, to a series of Greek films, while his immense popularity was also based on songs he wrote for other well-known singers, including Doukissa, Marinella, Stratos Dionyssiou and Antonis Remos.

He always sang to sold-out performances in his 35-year career, and was described in the 80s as “the prince of Greek singing”. His devoted fan base followed him at the venues he sang in and idolized him.

Voskopoulos was married four times, most recently to Angela Gerekou, current president of the Greek National Tourism Organization, with whom he had a daughter in 2001.

Messages of condolences to his family poured in from several political leaders, including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Foreign Affairs Minister and Deputy Minister Nikos Dendias and Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, and political parties and leaders including Syriza-Progressive Alliance, Movement for Change (KINAL) and the Communist Party of Greece.

Tolis Voskopoulos will be interred at the First National Cemetery on Wednesday (15:00) at City of Athens expense, Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said.

Source: amna.gr