Lakis Halkias

Born

1943-08-30

Birthplace

Ioannina, Greece

Biography

Lakis (Michaels) Chalkias (Greek: Λάκης Χαλκιάς, Ioannina, 30 August 1943) is a Greek songwriter, musician and singer. He is the son of clarinetist Tasos Chalkias and Marika Chalkias and comes from a musical family. He plays five musical instruments (guitar, bouzouki, lute, tzoura and oud), and has been involved in singing since the age of seven. Chalkias has collaborated from time to time with the most important names in our music scene, including singers Sotiria Bellou, Grigoris Bithikotsis, Stelios Kazantzidis, Nikos Xylouris, Loukianos Kilaidonis and composers Yannis Papaioannou, Vassilis Tsitsanis, Markos Vamvakaris, Giorgos Zambetas, Yannis Markopoulos, Christos Leontis, Christos Nikolopoulos, etc. A highlight of his career was the presentation of his work "2,500 Years of Greek Music, from Homer to Today", which took place at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on May 28, 2002. Politically, Chalkias is affiliated with the Communist Party of Greece, with which he was a candidate for parliament in the 2007 national elections.