He passed away suddenly at the age of 64
An important figure of the rich musical tradition of Crete, the well-known lyra player Giorgis Stivaktakis, passed away, spreading sadness on his island and in the domestic music scene.
The Cretan lyra player passed away suddenly on Friday morning, probably of a heart attack, at the age of 64.
Born in the village of Vorizia and raised in a musical family, his father was a lead singer in a local band, and both he and his brothers, Christos and Nikos, who are notable luthiers, dedicated themselves to Cretan traditional music.
Giorgis Stivaktakis released his first album, "I Was Judged to Love You", in 1981, followed by the album "Cretan Company", in which his brothers participated.
He continued his journey by recording several more traditional records, collaborating with various artists and performing frequent live performances inside and outside Crete.
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