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Popular Greek singer-songwriter Dionysis Savopoulos, known for his allegorical and deeply poetic songs commenting on Greek politics, identity and society, has died. He was 80 years old.
Savopoulos, a prominent figure on the Greek cultural and intellectual scene, died on Tuesday night, his family announced on its official social media accounts. The musician was hospitalized in recent days and was battling cancer for several years.
Known by his pseudonym Neonios – a commonly used nickname for Dionysis – Savopoulos rose to prominence in the 1960s, gaining national fame with his subtle revolutionary lyrics during the military dictatorship of 1967–1974. He was imprisoned for a time by the junta, and his songs became anthems of resistance for youth and dissidents in Greece.
Tributes poured in for Savopoulos from across the Greek political and cultural world.
“I don’t want to believe it, but our Dionysus is no longer here,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis Posted on his social media account. “Savopoulos has left a strong mark on music, lyrics and public style. Because with his work and stance he proved that he was a wonderful songwriter. A sensitive Greek.”
Born in Thessaloniki on December 2, 1944, Savopoulos studied law, but never completed his studies. He’s gone Athens in 1963 and began to pursue his musical career, performing in small music clubs in the Greek capital.
Their songs were a mix of several styles, including Greek popular music, music by American composers, with rock and folk-rock elements. bob dylan and Frank Zappa as well as traditional Greek music.
He wrote both the music and lyrics for most of his songs, which had intense political, romantic and comedic content. Their first album, “Fortigo,” meaning truck, was released in 1966 and became a major success, bringing them fame by combining political commentary, rock influences and Greek folk idioms.
They consolidated their success with their second album, “The Fool’s Garden”, released in 1969, three years later, during the military dictatorship. Savopoulos soon became one of the leading voices of Greece’s artistic dissent, and by the time the junta fell in 1974, he was considered one of the most important and original Greek songwriters of his generation.
In 1972, he released the album “The Dirty Bread”, which included the song “The Angel Herald”, an adaptation of Bob Dylan’s “The Wicked Messenger”, while in 1997 he released the album “The Hotel”, dedicated to artists he was inspired by, including Bob Dylan, Nick Cave, Jethro Tull, Van Morrison, Lou Reed, Lucio Dalla and others.
“He was a great artist, a remarkable man, loved by the Greek people for his personality, his work and his contribution to the arts,” Greek President Constantinos Tassoulas said in a statement. “Uncompromising, innovative and courageous, he embodied the spirit of questioning in the most sensitive and poetic way through works that marked the history of Greek song and became milestones in the modern culture of our country.”
A talented stage performer, Savopoulos captivated audiences of all ages with his music and storytelling. He continued to perform throughout his career, appearing in live concerts as recently as this year, when he performed at a summer music festival on the outskirts of Athens.
Savopoulos published his autobiography, “Why the Years Fly By”, in early 2025, where he spoke openly about his battle with lung cancer, diagnosed in 2020.
,Death This is an unacceptable thing. But once you accept it, that’s when you start living,” he once said during a television interview.
Savopoulos is survived by his wife Aspa, two sons and two grandchildren. His family said funeral arrangements would be announced later.