Kaiti Grey died early this week at the age of 100. Mourning in Greece was widespread: Grey was well-loved and one of the best-known singers of Greek popular music.
She was born on Samos, adopted into a mainland Greek family which gave her the name Angeliki Kalai. She recorded her first song in 1952 and emerged as the quintessential laiko singer, working with the leading composers and recording songs that have become timeless classics in Greece. In the 1960s, she was the highest paid singer in Greece and, by her retirement in 1996 at age 72, she had recorded more than 1,500 songs. She also appeared in 19 films as a singer or actress.
While best known for light songs and popular music, Grey also recorded rebetiko with Vasilis Tsitsanis and others. This cut was included on a 1961 album that paid tribute to Markos Vamvakaris.
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