Legendary Greek composer Mimis Plessas passed away early on Saturday morning in Athens just one week shy of his 100th birthday, marking a great loss for Greek music.
The news of the death of Mimis Plessas was announced by his wife Loukila Carrer-Plessa with a touching farewell post on social media: “And suddenly “Deep silence fell…”…..”And you won’t be by my side, Star of my Life…,” starting with a lyric of one of his most famous songs.
One of the many things that could be written in his obituary would be that there hasn’t been a single day that the average Greek has not listened to one of his songs in one way or other either on the radio,television, or through streaming.
Mimis Plessas was among the most important and prolific Greek composers. He crossed from jazz to light music to laika to artistic folk to movie themes with characteristic ease. From an early age, he stood out with his talent in Greece and internationally.
A lustrous career
Mimis Plessas was born in Athens on October 2024. He studied at the Lycée Léonin then studied chemistry at the School of Physics and Mathematics at the University of Athens. At an early age, he became the first piano soloist at the National Radio Foundation. He continued his studies in chemistry in the United States but did not put aside his love for music.
In 1952, at the age of 28, he was awarded the University of Minnesota first music prize in piano , and the following year, he was ranked fifth in the United States. In 1952, he started working professionally, and from 1956, he started a career as conductor and composer.
His artistic and compositional activity covered all areas of music, in theater, cinema, radio, and television. He collaborated with many top singers, many of whom became famous.
He also wrote music for film and theater, with 104 films and 70 plays to his credit.
An awarded composer
Mimis Plessas conducted renowned orchestras across the world and received seven international distinctions in Barcelona in 1960, Warsaw in 1962, Belgium in 1963, Italy (Alto Monte) in 1964, the USA in 1965, Paris in 1968, and Tokyo in 1970. He was also awarded six times in Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki) in 1959, 1963, 1964, and 1967.
Plessas also wrote songs sung by famous singers including Zoi Kourouklis, Nana Mouskouri, Tzeni Vanou, Giovanna, Marinella, Rena Koumioti, Yiannis Vogiatzis, Yiannis Poulopoulos, Tolis Voskopoulos, and Stratos Dionysiou. Some of them owe their singing career and fame to his compositions.
Mimis Plessas has been repeatedly honored with platinum and gold discs, while his album The Road (1969), with lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos, unquestionably holds first place in the Greek discography as the best selling album of all time. Many of his hit songs were collaborations with lyrics writer Lefteris Papadopoulos.
Mimis Plessas wrote the music for many unforgettable songs, and he will remain an integral part of Greek music in the hearts and minds of all.
Among his greatest hits are:
- “If I Refuse You, My Love”
- “That Morning in Kifissia”
- “What Did I Do to You and You Drink?”
- “So Many Dummers”
- “Who Knows?”
- “The Beads”
- “But Now My Love”
- “Myrsini Wears White”
- “I Want You Tonight”
- “Don’t Talk to the Child”
- “If You See the Moon”
- “Our First Night”
- “Get Drunk Tonight My Girl”
- “First Time”
- “The Kisses”
- “Deep Silence”
- “A Thousand Nights”
- “The Boy’s Heart”
- “I’ll Drink the Moon Tonight”
- “Sunday Dawn”
- “Girl Stop and Tell You”
- ” All Yours”
- “I’m a Woman of Pleasure”
- “Over to the Old Garages”
- “First Time”
- “I Cried Yesterday”
- “My Candle Melted”
- “Now You Want Me, Now You Drive Me Away”
- “The Days of Summer “
- “The Sun Found Me”
