The singer Rena Koumioti, one of the most important of the new wave of Greek music, died at the age of 81.
The news of her death was made known by the president of SEH, Spyros Bibila, who wrote: "A big goodbye to the wonderful Rena Koumiotis!! THIS velvety voice of hers will always move us.... Those who knew her will only remember beautiful moments.. Have a good trip Rena from all of us...."
The singer was facing serious health problems and had been living in the Athens Nursing Home since last November. In the summer of the same year, her first-born son, Nikos Savvidis, died of a heart attack. She did not attend his funeral, as strong emotions did not allow her to know about his loss.
Who was Rena Koumioti?
Rena Koumioti was born in Athens, in Nea Ionia on May 3, 1941. Her parents were refugees. Her mother from Smyrna and her father from Constantinople.
Her breakthrough came when in 1968 while singing at the Apanemia musical club in Athens, she was heard by Lefteris Papadopoulos who then asked her to sing with Giannis Poulopoulos for the Dromos (Greek: Ο δρόμος, "The road") album.
Her discographical career was short —last album recording was in 1980— but important; for a period she had moved to Canada where she stayed for eight years. She remains active in live performance.
Discography
The discography of Rena Koumioti, including third party albums and collections, is the following:[4]
1969 - Ο δρόμος
1969 - Οι ώρες
1970 - Γύφτισσα μέρα
1970 - Μέρες του καλοκαιριού
1970 - Ρένα Κουμιώτη
1970 - Γειτονιές Αθήνα - Θεσσαλονίκη
1970 - Ρένα Κουμιώτη 1
1971 - Ρένα Κουμιώτη 2
1972 - Μήνες
1972 - Το θαλασσινό τρυφύλλι
1972 - Τα κίτρινα ρολόγια
1973 - Μονά ζυγά
1973 - Θάλασσα πικροθάλασσα
1974 - Μίλα μου για λευτεριά
1974 - Παράθυρο στη θάλασσα
1974 - Ρένα Κουμιώτη 3
1974 - Ρόδα που γυρίζει
1976 - Τα ωραιότερα τραγούδια της Ρένας Κουμιώτη
1976 - Στο δρόμο για το Τσιμελνί
1978 - Ρεμπέτικα και θαλασσινά
1978 - Ρένα Κουμιώτη - Πλέσσας Μίμης
1980 - Τα δικά μου τραγούδια
1985 - Τραγούδια από τον ελληνικό κινηματογράφο
1986 - Για το θέατρο 2 - Πλέσσας
1992 - Δεν θα χωρίσουμε ποτέ - Ζαμπέτας
1993 - Μεγάλες επιτυχίες Ρένα Κουμιώτη
1993 - Το άλλο νέο κύμα
1995 - Σταμάτησε του ρολογιού τους δείχτες
1996 - Οι μεγάλες ερμηνείες - Κουμιώτη Ρένα
1996 - Στο δρόμο του Μίμη Πλέσσα 2
2001 - 50 χρυσά χρόνια - Πλέσσας
2009 - Σταμάτησε του ρολογιού τους δείχτες
2009 - Κόρη του γιαλού
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