Video: How 5 days in captivity changed the life of the "Greek nightingale" Demis Roussos forever
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
On June 15, the world famous Greek singer and musician Demis Roussos could have turned 74, but 5 years ago he passed away. He is called the "Greek Nightingale" and is the country's most successful performer. In the 1980s. Demis Roussos was one of the most popular singers in the world, but one day an event happened that forever divided his life into "before" and "after" and forced him to reconsider his values. How Demis Roussos was captured by terrorists, and for what he was condemned at home - further in the review.
The real name of the singer is Artemios Venturis Roussos. He was born in 1946 in Egyptian Alexandria, in a family of immigrants from Greece - a dancer and singer and engineer who played the guitar perfectly. Demis grew up in a creative atmosphere and studied music since childhood - he studied at a music school, played the guitar, trumpet, double bass and organ. In the mid-1950s. his family moved to their ancestral homeland in Greece.
Demis Roussos began his career in restaurants and hotels, performing popular Western hits there. In 1968 he created his own group "Aphrodite's Child" and moved to Paris, and after 3 years he took up solo activities. After the release of his first album, he became a world superstar. In the 1970s. the singer has performed on tour in many countries. Hits "Forever And Ever" and "Goodbye My Love, Goodbye" won worldwide recognition, his records topped the charts throughout Europe.
In the 1980s. his name was known all over the world. He constantly flew to different countries with concerts and was used to being recognized everywhere and very warmly received. Demis Roussos did not hide that he loved to enjoy the fruits of his popularity and success - he was used to living on a grand scale, staying in the most expensive hotels, collecting cars, and dressing exquisitely. This lasted until a tragedy occurred in his life.
On June 14, 1985, the day before the 39th birthday of Demis Roussos, an Athens-Rome flight was hijacked by terrorists. Two armed Lebanese ordered the pilot to fly to the Middle East. They then demanded the release of hundreds of Lebanese prisoners from Israeli prisons. For 5 whole days they kept their captives in Beirut and Algeria. They were constantly kept at gunpoint, one person was shot in front of the rest of the passengers. Fortunately, neither the singer himself nor his companion - future wife, American model Pamela - remained safe and sound. At that time, Demis was also known in Arab countries, and when the terrorists realized that they were facing a world famous singer, they made him sing.
Later, Demis Roussos really did not like to remember the nightmare that he had to endure during this week, although he always remembered about it. The singer admitted: "". Answering questions about these 5 days in captivity, the singer was laconic: "".
He was reluctant to talk about this in an interview, saying only that this event divided his life into “before” and “after”, because only then he realized how fragile and fleeting human life can be, that no material goods guarantee peace and safety, and that everything can suddenly end in an instant. After that, the singer revised his views and values. He realized that you need to rejoice in simple everyday things, to be grateful for everything that is given to him, and to help those who need it.
Surprisingly, but in his homeland, the "Greek nightingale" Demis Roussos was not as popular as in the whole world. The Greeks were very reluctant to talk about him during his lifetime and rarely remembered after his departure. For many years, the singer pounded the thresholds of officials with proposals that could help his country, but they did not want to listen to him.
Demis Roussos wanted to organize a show with the participation of Greek and world stars in order to provide heating in schools with the proceeds, but no one supported his idea. At home, they could not forgive him for the fact that he lived a little in Greece and did not sing in Greek. Nevertheless, when in 2010 Demis Roussos performed in Athens on the stage of the large ancient theater of Herodio, the locals disassembled the tickets in a matter of hours.
In the spring of 2014, the singer was diagnosed with advanced stage pancreatic cancer. His family decided not to tell him the whole truth about his state of health, and until his last days, they supported in him the belief that he would be able to recover and return to a normal life. Unfortunately, the miracle did not happen. On January 25, 2015, the famous "Greek nightingale" Demis Roussos left this world. When he was seen off on his last journey, all the central streets of Athens were blocked - there were a lot of people who wanted to say goodbye to the legend.
His songs still do not lose their popularity: "Life is too good!" - beautiful waltz performed by Demis Rusos.
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