Biography

The songwriter Giorgos Stavrakakis was born in Ierapetra, Crete. He grew up in Heraklion where he lived until 1996, whereas during the recent years he has been living and working in Athens. He was awarded the Pan-Cretan Vocal Festival first prize at a very young age and that gave him the opportunity to work professionally on singing. So, he begins to perform along with his guitar in “boites” (music halls) all over Crete singing Greek ballads, a kind of music that moves him even today and enables him to express himself.

At the beginning of his career, he was fortunate enough to meet and work together with the great and, gone now, composer Manos Loizos as well as with the lyricist Manolis Rasoulis. During that time, his first collection of poems, entitled “To domatio/The Room”, is published. For a long period of time he travels abroad and gives concerts singing Greek and foreign songs in many cities of Germany, Switzerland and Holland. Meanwhile, his second collection of poems, entitled “Sinalagma telos/No more foreign Currency”, is published.

In 1987, he returns to Heraklion, Greece, where he gives performances that involve singing and prosing, and organizes poetic evenings at Kafetheatro. He often writes articles for the regional Press expressing his point of view on the cultural events that take place in Heraklion while, at the same time, he works as a music producer at the Hellenic Radiobroadcasting Company (ERA).

In 1988, his third collection of poems, entitled “Ena palio kaloeri/An old summer”, is published.

In 1989, he opens the music hall “Tromboni” in Heraklion, Crete, where he often hosts some of the greatest singers and bands (names) of the contemporary Greek Music (Stage).

In 1995, he meets Manos Xidous in Heraklion and two years later this relation results in the release of Giorgos Stavrakakis’s first album, entitled “Resalto” (MINOS EMI 1997). This album includes songs written during the period ’92-’96 which are representative of the, so called, Greek ballad.

In July 2002, his new album, entitled “Gialina Ftera/Glass Wings”, is released by WAVE MUSIC.

In October 2003, he works with the Swiss, Italian-speaking composer and songwriter Marco Zappa and they record together the song “Sogno Greco” from the album “Sogni di Giorni” which had already been released abroad. That meeting marks the beginning of the period of their closer cooperation during the following years, starting in 2004 with the appearance of the Greek songwriter as a special guest at the concerts of Marco Zappa in Davos, December 27, and in St. Moritz, December 28, in Switzerland, where Giorgos Stavrakakis introduces his own songs in Greek as well as in an Italian lyric version by Marco Zappa.

In 2006 he publishes his third personal music album entitled “Apousies/Absences” while, at the same time, his new collection of poems, entitled “Inomagiria/Wine Taverns”, and the second edition of his collection “80+1 Poems” are being published.

In December 2006 the music CD entitled "In Giro Una Vita" by Marco Zappa is being released in Europe containing three songs by Giorgos Stavrakakis in Italian, performed by Marco Zappa together with the Greek songwriter. Songs such as "Piazza Collegiata", "Dolci Bugie" and "Non Trovavo Il Modo" are being transmited over the Europeean radio channels.

In Febryary 2008, his new music CD entitled "CAROUSEL" is being released by the label "Music Mirror".

Giorgos Stavrakakis Discography
1997 - «Resalto» Greek ballads that were written in the period '92-'96 MINOS EMI
2002 - «Gialina Ftera/Glass Wings» - WAVE MUSIC
2003 - Marco Zappa «SognidiGiorni» with one song by both M. Zappa and G. Stavrakakis called «SognoGreco»
2006 - «Apousies/Absences» - Seistron
2006 - Marco Zappa «In Giro Una Vita» with three songs by Giorgos Stavrakakis in Italian
2008 - «CAROUSEL»
2010 - «Chartines Poleis»

Giorgos Stavrakakis Poetry Collections
«To domatio/The room»
«Sinallagma telos/No more foreign Currency»
«An old summer»
«Wine Taverns»
«80 plus 1 Poems» 2006