Lefteris Pantazis (b. 1955)
Alias:
Leyteris Pantazis
Λευτέρης Πανταζής
Birthplace:
Taskent, Russian Empire
Born:
March 27, 1955
Lefteris Pantazis is a Greek popular singer, regarded as one of the most commercially successful names in Greek folk music. He has released 27 solo albums and 13 compilations, with 30 of them certified platinum and all 40 gold. His total album and CD sales reach around 4 million copies. Pantazis is known for frequently performing in Greece and abroad, particularly for the Greek diaspora. Pantazis was born to Greek Pontic parents and moved to Greece as a refugee at a young age. He began his professional singing career in the mid-1970s, gaining recognition in the early 1980s. His first major hit was "Paranomos desmos" (1979), which remains popular today. Throughout the '80s, he became a household name, with hits like "Tarahi" (1989), "Ta louloudia stin kyria" (1988), and "Na pethanoun oi gynaikes" (1982). He also appeared in a few films during this period. In the 1990s, Pantazis continued his success with hits like "To oraiotero plasma tou kosmou" (1994) and "Vrikes to evaisthito simeio mou" (1998). In the 2000s, he maintained his popularity with songs like "Filakia" (2000), a successful Turkish cover, and "Tsoutsouka" (2004), a Brazilian hit cover. Pantazis also served as president of the Greek football club Panionios F.C. from 2002 to 2006, during which the team participated in the UEFA Cup. Pantazis is the father of actress and singer Konnie Metaxa, from his relationship with actress Zoza Metaxa. He has also had relationships with notable figures such as singer Antzela Dimitriou and actress Kaiti Finou.