Spiros Skordilis Funeral - Oti Arhizi Oreo 7-20-1930 - 6-15-2013
Born in Athens in the summer of 1930, Spiros Skordilis' early life was marked by struggling to survive in the economy created by two World Wars and political turmoil within Greece. A defining moment in his childhood was when, in first grade, his teacher asked him to read the next line in the textbook, and when Spiros replied that he had lost track of the page, his teacher hit him across his knees with a ruler. When he came home from school, he didn't mention this reprimand to his parents, thinking he would be in more trouble. But, by midnight, his leg had turned blue and the pain was intolerable. His parents rushed him to the hospital where doctors told them he had internal bleeding and an infection, and for the next three years, his father carried him on his back to the hospital for treatment (there were no good roads or busses). Understandably, Spiros didn't want to go back to school, so what he learned of reading and writing was taught to him by his nurse. Spiros' father was an enormous influence on his life. After dinner, he would often play his guitar with young Spiros singing by his side. Spiros' father noticed his son's talent for music and began teaching him to play the guitar as well. However, Spiros' father died at a young age, leaving the family to struggle financially. Spiros worked doing odd jobs to help support his mother and younger siblings, but his love of music never lessened. At age 18, he formed his first band which became a well-known Laiki orchestra. Five years later, he turned his interests to folk music, learned to play the bouzouki, and formed the "Blue Trio" with whom he played in many tavernas in Plaka, the historical neighborhood on the slopes of the Acropolis. By 1958, Spiros had made a name for himself playing in the company of other well-known musicians of the decade, like Bobby and George Malidis, Georgo Kehayias, and Panagiotis Visvardis, and was soon signed with Columbia Records. Spiros' first hit song was "Vongae O Ponos," a Zeimbekiko song that took off in popularity, launching Spiros into the nightclub circuit of featured performers. It was during this time that Spiros met Lena Daina, a young and talented vocalist who would become both his wife and partner on and off-stage. The story behind his most famous song, "Oti Arhizi Oreo" (When Something Beautiful Begins) is that after he and Lena had a fight one night, she wrote a phrase on a cigarette package: "It's wrong to build castles in the sand, we will not be able to sustain the windy storms and turbulences of life." She handed it to Spiros, whose reaction was far from positive. But it kept him up for the rest of the night, and by dawn, he had the lyrics and music for his breakout composition. In 1977, Spiros and Lena left Charleston, South Carolina, for an engagement in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Lena became very ill, and within six months, passed away from a stroke. Spiros had lost his wife, collaborator, and performing partner, leaving him devastated and without direction. On April 11th, Spiros went to visit the gravesite of his mother, Evlambia Kalimtgis, on the anniversary of her death. He hugged the stone and said "I'll be up in heaven soon, and we'll celebrate your birthday together in a big glendi." Her birthday was on Saturday, June 22nd, which is also the day of Psihosavato, or "All Soul's Day" in the Greek Orthodox Church. We feel it's an appropriate day to send off the man whom so many loved and admired. Spiro always had a way of knowing which way the dice would roll in a game of backgammon, and we think he had a feeling about this too. Thank you for joining us to celebrate his life.
Born in Athens in the summer of 1930, Spiros Skordilis' early life was marked by struggling to survive in the economy created by two World Wars and political turmoil within Greece. A defining moment in his childhood was when, in first grade, his teacher asked him to read the next line in the textbook, and when Spiros replied that he had lost track of the page, his teacher hit him across his knees with a ruler. When he came home from school, he didn't mention this reprimand to his parents, thinking he would be in more trouble. But, by midnight, his leg had turned blue and the pain was intolerable. His parents rushed him to the hospital where doctors told them he had internal bleeding and an infection, and for the next three years, his father carried him on his back to the hospital for treatment (there were no good roads or busses). Understandably, Spiros didn't want to go back to school, so what he learned of reading and writing was taught to him by his nurse. Spiros' father was an enormous influence on his life. After dinner, he would often play his guitar with young Spiros singing by his side. Spiros' father noticed his son's talent for music and began teaching him to play the guitar as well. However, Spiros' father died at a young age, leaving the family to struggle financially. Spiros worked doing odd jobs to help support his mother and younger siblings, but his love of music never lessened. At age 18, he formed his first band which became a well-known Laiki orchestra. Five years later, he turned his interests to folk music, learned to play the bouzouki, and formed the "Blue Trio" with whom he played in many tavernas in Plaka, the historical neighborhood on the slopes of the Acropolis. By 1958, Spiros had made a name for himself playing in the company of other well-known musicians of the decade, like Bobby and George Malidis, Georgo Kehayias, and Panagiotis Visvardis, and was soon signed with Columbia Records. Spiros' first hit song was "Vongae O Ponos," a Zeimbekiko song that took off in popularity, launching Spiros into the nightclub circuit of featured performers. It was during this time that Spiros met Lena Daina, a young and talented vocalist who would become both his wife and partner on and off-stage. The story behind his most famous song, "Oti Arhizi Oreo" (When Something Beautiful Begins) is that after he and Lena had a fight one night, she wrote a phrase on a cigarette package: "It's wrong to build castles in the sand, we will not be able to sustain the windy storms and turbulences of life." She handed it to Spiros, whose reaction was far from positive. But it kept him up for the rest of the night, and by dawn, he had the lyrics and music for his breakout composition. In 1977, Spiros and Lena left Charleston, South Carolina, for an engagement in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Lena became very ill, and within six months, passed away from a stroke. Spiros had lost his wife, collaborator, and performing partner, leaving him devastated and without direction. On April 11th, Spiros went to visit the gravesite of his mother, Evlambia Kalimtgis, on the anniversary of her death. He hugged the stone and said "I'll be up in heaven soon, and we'll celebrate your birthday together in a big glendi." Her birthday was on Saturday, June 22nd, which is also the day of Psihosavato, or "All Soul's Day" in the Greek Orthodox Church. We feel it's an appropriate day to send off the man whom so many loved and admired. Spiro always had a way of knowing which way the dice would roll in a game of backgammon, and we think he had a feeling about this too. Thank you for joining us to celebrate his life.