Vasilis Karras
Vasilis Karras Βασίλης Καρράς | |
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Karras in 2012 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Vasilis Kesoglidis (Βασίλης Κεσογλίδης) |
Also known as | Vasilis Karras |
Born | (1953-11-12)12 November 1953 Kokkinochori, Kavala, Greece |
Died | 24 December 2023(2023-12-24) (aged 70) Thessaloniki, Greece |
Genres | Contemporary laika, laïka |
Occupation(s) | Singer |
Instrument(s) | Vocals |
Years active | 1969–2023 |
Labels | Vasipap, Minos EMI, Universal Music Greece, The Spicy Effect |
Website | https://vasilis-karras.gr/ |
Vasilis Karras (Greek: Βασίλης Καρράς; born Vasilis Kesoglidis, 12 November 1953 – 24 December 2023) was a Greek laïko singer.
Early life
Karras was born on 12 November 1953 in Kokkinohori, Kavala, Greece, to Pontian parents. At the age of 10, his family moved to Thessaloniki. Also around this time his brother Damian and his sister Anastasia were born. Growing up in Thessaloniki allowed Karras considerable independence and many of the friendships he created there have lasted well into his life.
Career
In the summer of 1969, Karras made a brief appearance at the club Prosfygas in Evosmos, Thessaloniki. Even though he was only 16 years old, he became a favourite in the city suburbs due to his distinctive, then raspy voice. The club owners allowed Karras to sing on many more occasions and audience in his home city took a particular liking to his style.
In the 1970s, Karras cemented his reputation as a young upstart on the Greek laiko (folk 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, Zafeiris Melas and Konstantina also furthered his reputation in Greece. In 1996, Karras contacted songwriter Phoebus with the prospect of creating an album based on his songs. Phoebus responded positively and enthusiastically went to work creating songs that fit Karras' unique style and complemented his singing abilities. The result was the hit album Tilefonise mou which went two time platinum and is Karras' all time best-seller.[1] 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. It would become a style that Karras would perfect for many years to come and adopt prominently in his discography from then on. Karras and Phoebus also partnered for the 1999 album Epistrefo, a perennial mainstay in his club repertoire, with many hit singles.
Around this time, Karras also worked with many young Greek talents in efforts to help their careers. In particular, after spotting Despina Malea (now known as Despina Vandi), he offered her the chance to sing at his night club for the summer season, thus kick-starting her career. Karras and Vandi would have the chance to work together later on in 2005 in a few duets from the music of common friend Phoebus. Apart from continuing his discography, he also continued to sing at nightclubs in Athens and Thessaloniki and also traveled around the globe to centres of the Greek diaspora, including the United States, (Germany), Australia and Canada.
Latterly he partnered with other mainstays of the Greek music scene such as Tolis Voskopoulos, Christos Dantis, Eirini Merkouri, Konstantina Konstantinou, Kostas Karafotis, Despina Vandi, Pantelis Pantelidis, Paola 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. Vasilis Karras' widespread appeal and numerous decades on the Greek music scene have cemented his legend as one of the top Greek folk singers ever, but it is his laid back and accessible personality that has endeared him to others throughout the music industry and to the fans through the country and abroad. Karras was credited as the last singing survivor of the 'Kapsourika' style of songs in Greece, namely love songs about lost loves and reminiscing.
Throughout his career he emphasized his love for his hometown and wrote and sang many songs about Thessaloniki reminiscing about his childhood and early loves including "Den Pao Pouthena", "Nychta Kselogiastra", "Erhomai" and "Gia Afto Stasou". His 1987 album Apo ti Thessaloniki me agapi and his 1988 work Mia bradia sti Thessaloniki are examples of the special place the city has in his heart.
Personal life and death
He was married to Christina Kesoglides and together they had a daughter, Irene. Karras, who was battling terminal cancer, contracted COVID-19 and later died from cardiac arrest due to COVID at a Thessaloniki hospital on the Christmas Eve of 2023, at the age of 70.[2][3]
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 (Κύριος μα και...αλήτης) (2013)
- Ta Kalutera Taxidia (2016)
- Alhth me lene (2017)
References
External links
- Official website
- Vasilis Karras discography at Discogs
- Vasilis Karras at IMDb
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Folk music | |
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Other |
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and ethnicity
- Albania (performers)
- Aromanians (stateless)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (performers)
- Bulgaria (performers)
- Croatia (performers)
- Cyprus (performers)
- Greece (performers)
- Kosovo (performers)
- Moldova (performers)
- Montenegro (performers)
- North Macedonia (performers)
- Romania (performers)
- Serbia (performers)
- Slovenia (performers)
- Turkey (performers)
- Yugoslavia (performers)
Circle dances | |
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Other |
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By country |
- Aca Lukas
- Aco Pejović
- Adrian Sînă
- Aki Rahimovski
- Al' Dino
- Alban Skënderaj
- Alen Islamović
- Alexandra Stan
- Alka Vuica
- Ana Bekuta
- Ana Kokić
- Ana Nikolić
- Andreea Bănică
- Andrea
- Anna Odobescu
- Anna Vissi
- Anxhela Peristeri
- Ardian Bujupi
- Arsen Dedić
- Aurela Gaçe
- Avni Mula
- Azis
- Bajaga
- Beba Selimović
- Bebe Rexha
- Bebi Dol
- Bleona
- Boban Rajović
- Bora Đorđević
- Bora Spužić Kvaka
- Boris Novković
- Božo Vrećo
- Branimir Štulić
- Capital T
- Ceca
- Coby
- Costas Andreou
- Dado Polumenta
- Dado Topić
- Dafina Zeqiri
- Daniel Popović
- Danijela Martinović
- Dara Bubamara
- Darko Rundek
- Davorin Popović
- Deen
- Desi Slava
- Despina Vandi
- Dino Dvornik
- Dino Merlin
- Doris Dragović
- Dr Iggy
- Dragan Kojić Keba
- Dragana Mirković
- Dua Lipa
- Duško Kuliš
- Đorđe Balašević
- Džej Ramadanovski
- Edo Maajka
- Eleftheria Eleftheriou
- Elena Risteska
- Eleni Foureira
- Elhaida Dani
- Elvana Gjata
- Elvir Laković Laka
- Emanuela
- Emina Jahović
- Era Istrefi
- Esma Redžepova
- Fazla
- Fiki
- Flori Mumajesi
- Frenkie
- Galena
- Gashi
- Gibonni
- Gloria
- Goca Tržan
- Goran Bregović
- Gru
- Hadise
- Halid Bešlić
- Hari Varešanović
- Haris Džinović
- Hasiba Agić
- Helena Paparizou
- Himzo Polovina
- Hurricane
- Ilira
- Indira Levak
- Indira Radić
- Inna
- Inva Mula
- Ivan Zajc
- Ivana Peters
- Ivo Pogorelić
- Jacques Houdek
- Jana
- Jelena Karleuša
- Jelena Rozga
- Jelena Tomašević
- Josipa Lisac
- Jura Stublić
- Jurica Pađen
- Kaliopi
- Kalomira
- Kamelia
- Karolina Gočeva
- Kemal Monteno
- Kenan Doğulu
- Kićo Slabinac
- Kir Joakim
- Knez
- Konstrakta
- Koke
- Kornelije Kovač
- Lepa Brena
- Lepa Lukić
- Louis
- Luke Black
- Magnifico
- Maksim Mrvica
- Maria Elena Kyriakou
- Marija Šerifović
- Marinella
- Marko Kon
- Marta Savić
- Massimo Savić
- Maja Šuput
- Maya Berović
- Maya Sar
- Merima Njegomir
- Miladin Šobić
- Milan Stanković
- Mile Kitić
- Milica Pavlović
- Miloš Bojanić
- Miroslav Ilić
- Mitar Mirić
- Miša Aleksić
- Mišo Kovač
- Muharem Serbezovski
- Mustafa Sandal
- Nada Mamula
- Nada Topčagić
- Nataša Bekvalac
- Neda Ukraden
- Nedeljko Bajić Baja
- Nele Karajlić
- Neno Belan
- Nevena Božović
- Nexhmije Pagarusha
- Nikola Rokvić
- Nikolija
- Nikos Vertis
- Nina Badrić
- Nino Pršeš
- Nino Rešić
- Noizy
- Nora Istrefi
- Oliver Dragojević
- Osman Hadžić
- Poli Genova
- Predrag Gojković-Cune
- Predrag Živković Tozovac
- Preslava
- Rambo Amadeus
- Rasta
- Rita Ora
- Safet Isović
- Sakis Rouvas
- Sanja Vučić
- Sara Jo
- Saša Kovačević
- Saša Lošić
- Saša Matić
- Sead Lipovača
- Sejo Sexon
- Seka Aleksić
- Selma Bajrami
- Serdar Ortaç
- Sergej Ćetković
- Sertab Erener
- Severina
- Silvana Armenulić
- Sinan Sakić
- Slađana Milošević
- Snežana Đurišić
- Sofi Marinova
- Stoja
- Stojan Stojkov
- Tamara Todevska
- Tanja Ribič
- Tanja Savić
- Tereza Kesovija
- Tijana Dapčević
- Tifa
- Toma Zdravković
- Tony Cetinski
- Tonči Huljić
- Toše Proeski
- Vasilis Karras
- Vesna Pisarović
- Vesna Zmijanac
- Viki
- Vlado Georgiev
- Yiannis Parios
- Zaim Imamović
- Zdravko Čolić
- Zoran Lesendrić
- Zorica Brunclik
- Ljuba Aličić
- Šaban Šaulić
- Şebnem Paker
- Šemsa Suljaković
- Šerif Konjević
- Željko Bebek
- Željko Joksimović
- Željko Samardžić
- Željko Šašić