Demis Roussos

Born as Artemios Ventouris Roussos on June 15, 1946, in Alexandria, Egypt, to Greek expatriate parents, Demis Roussos later earned recognition for his dramatic, operatic vocal stylings. In the early 1960s his family chose to return to Greece, where the young musician—having already studied trumpet and sung in a church choir in Egypt—joined several local bands. Aphrodite's Child was one of them, alongside Vangelis Papatanassiou and Lucas Sideras. The group scored a huge hit in Europe, especially France, and issued a handful of albums before breaking up in 1971.

With label contacts already secured, Roussos obtained a solo recording deal and released the single "We Shall Dance" later that year on the album On the Greek Side of My Mind. The 1970s proved prolific: numerous singles and albums charted highly across Europe and Latin America. In 1978 he elected to retire and relocated to Malibu Beach, keeping a lower profile. He eventually returned to Greece and, on June 14, 1985, boarded TWA flight 847 to Rome. Members of Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad hijacked the plane, holding Roussos, his wife, and the other passengers captive for several days.

The experience altered his outlook, leading him to resume music as a way to aid others and encourage worldwide understanding. The Story of Demis Roussos appeared shortly afterward, briefly reigniting his career, particularly in southern Europe. Demis Roussos died in Athens in January 2015 at the age of 68.