Remembering Dimos Moutsis: A Musical Trailblazer Who Shaped Greek Music

Dimos Moutsis was one of the most influential composers of his generation in Greece. He was born in Piraeus and started studying the violin at a young age.

He excelled in his studies and graduated as a prize-winning soloist at the Athens Conservatoire.

Moutsis met poet Nikos Gatsos and composer Manos Hatzidakis in the late 1960s at a popular gathering place for musicians and artists. This meeting led to a collaboration between Moutsis and Gatsos, with Gatsos providing lyrics for Moutsis' music. Their first song, 'Βρέχει ο Θεός' (‘God is raining’), was recorded by Stamatis Kokotas.

Throughout the following years, Moutsis continued to write songs with Gatsos, which were performed by well-known artists like Vicky Moscholiou and Grigoris Bithikotsis, as well as emerging talents such as Manolis Mitsias and Dimitra Galani.

In 1970, Moutsis orchestrated and produced the music for the album 'Epistrofi' (The Return), featuring songs by Hatzidakis and Gatsos. He collaborated with other lyricists such as Lefteris Papadopoulos during this period.

Moutsis reached the pinnacle of his career with the release of 'Agios Februarios' (Saint February) in 1972. The album contained lyrics by Manos Eleftheriou and was performed by Dimitris Mitropanos and Petri Salpea. It was considered a significant work that pushed the boundaries of Greek music.

In 1981, Moutsis released 'Fragma' with lyrics by Kostas Tripolitis. The song 'Den les Kouventa' performed by Sotiria Belou became an instant hit.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Moutsis released several albums, including 'Enchyro' (1983), 'Na!' (1987), and 'Traveler of everything' (1990) which featured a collaboration with Nana Mouskouri.

In 1999, Moutsis joined forces with Dimitris Mitropanos and Dimitra Galani for a major concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, where they performed both old and new hits.

Aside from his musical career, Moutsis dabbled in politics. He was a candidate for the political party MeRA25 in the 2019 European elections, led by former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. However, he was later suspended from the party in 2021 following allegations of harassment.

Dimos Moutsis left an indelible mark on Greek music with his innovative compositions and collaborations.