ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Popular Greek singer-songwriter Dionysos Savvopoulos, known for his allegorical and deeply poetic lyrics that expressed opinions on Greek politics, identity and society, has died. He was 80.
A prominent figure in the Greek cultural and intellectual scene, Savvopoulos died on Tuesday evening, his family announced on his official social media account. The musician was hospitalized the other day and struggled with cancer for several years.
Known by his nickname Nionios (a commonly used nickname for Dionysius), Savvopoulos rose to prominence in the 1960s, gaining national fame for his subtle revolutionary songs during the 1967-1974 military dictatorship. He was briefly jailed by the junta, and his songs became the anthems of resistance among Greece's youth and dissidents.
Tributes to Savvopoulos poured in from across the Greek political and cultural world.
“I don’t want to believe it, but our Dionysus is no more,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote on his social media account. “Savvopoulos left leaving behind a strong imprint in music, lyrics and public style. Because with his work and attitude he proved that he is a wonderful songwriter. A sensitive Greek.”
Savvopoulos was born in Thessaloniki on December 2, 1944. He studied law but never completed his studies. He moved to Athens in 1963 and began his musical career performing in small music clubs in the Greek capital.
His songs combined many genres, including Greek popular music with rock and folk rock influences, the music of American musicians such as Bob Dylan and Frank Zappa, as well as traditional Greek music.
He wrote the music and lyrics for most of his songs, which had deeply political, romantic and humorous content. His debut album, Fortigo, meaning “Truck”, was released in 1966 to great success, bringing him fame for its combination of political commentary, rock influences and Greek folk idioms.
He followed up his success with his second album, The Fool's Garden, released three years later in 1969, during the military dictatorship. Savvopoulos quickly became one of the leading voices of creative dissent in Greece, and by the time the junta fell in 1974 he was considered one of the most important and original Greek songwriters of his generation.
In 1972, he released The Dirty Bread, which included the song “The Angel Herald”, an adaptation of Bob Dylan's The Wicked Messenger, and in 1997, he released The Hotel, an album dedicated to artists who inspired him, including Bob Dylan, Nick Cave, Jethro Tull, Van Morrison, Lou Reed, Lucio Dalla and others.
“He was a great artist, a wonderful man, loved by the Greek people for his personality, his work and his contributions to the arts,” Greek President Konstantinos Tassoulas said in a statement. “Uncompromising, innovative and courageous, he most sensitively and poetically embodied the spirit of questioning in works that marked the history of Greek song and became milestones in the modern culture of our country.”
A talented stage performer, Savvopoulos has captivated audiences of all ages with his music and storytelling. He has continued to perform throughout his career, appearing in live concerts as recently as this year when he performed at a summer music festival on the outskirts of Athens.
In early 2025, Savvopoulos published his autobiography, Why the Years Fly By, where he openly discussed his battle with lung cancer, diagnosed in 2020.
“Death is an unacceptable thing. But once you accept it, then you start living,” he once said during a television interview.
Savvopoulos is survived by his wife Aspa, two sons and two grandchildren. Funeral arrangements will be announced later, his family said.
