Κώστας Ρούκουνας

Κώστας Ρούκουνας Kostas Roukounas 1903-1984 Was A Greek Singer. His Repertoire Included Both "traditional" Δημοτικά And "popular" Songs Λαϊκά . Most Notable Is His Contribution To The Subgenre Of Rembetiko Ρεμπέτικο . Roukounas Is Generally Known As A Singer However He Was Also A Songwriter. Born On The Island Of Samos On 1903 He Came From A Poor Family And Thus Had To Start Working From The Age Of Eight Initially At A Cigarette Manufacturing Business And Later As A Carpenter. He Began His Musical Career In The Mid-1920s As A Singer At A Taverna. He Soon Became Locally Famous For His Fine Voice Specialising In Smyrneika Songs Originating From The Nearby Coast Of Asia Minor . Shortly Thereafter He Moved To Athens In 1927 Or 1928 Where He Sang Professionally On Various Festive Occasions Until He Was Discovered By Παναγιώτης Τούντας Panagiotis Tountas A Leading Composer And Recording Industry Executive. Tountas Got Roukounas To Make His First Recordings On 78 Rpm Records. With His Versatile Voice He Excelled In Virtually All Subgenres Of Traditional And Rembetic Music. Deserving Particular Mention Are His Renditions Of The Most Demanding Technically And Semi-Improvisational Manedes. He Collaborated With Many Composers Throughout His Long Career Particularly Τούντας Σπύρος Περιστέρης Κώστας Σκαρβέλης And Γρηγόρης Ασίκης. In 1934 He Married The Singer Άννα Παγανά Who Died Of A Heart Attack In 1943. Roukounas Married His Second Wife Lyricist Αλεξάνδρα Κυριαζή In 1948. They Lived Together In A Suburb Of Athens Until His Death On 11th March 1984. read less