[1931-2022]. Irini Konitopoulou-Legaki was born in Naxos island. She comes from a family of musicians. Her father, Michalis Konitopoulos, as well as her grandfather, played the violin and were knowledgeable in the island’s folk tradition.
In 1951, she settled in Athens and soon began a partnership with the National Radio Foundation (EIR), where Simon Karas was head of the folk music section. Her uncle, lutist Dimitris Fyrogenis, was the one who commended Irini to Simon Karas.
In 1955, she married Stelios Legakis with whom she had four children. Together with her brother Yiorgos Konitopoulos and later her daughter Eleni Legaki, they would create a family heritage in the “nisiotika” musical tradition of the Greek islands.
She has a rich discography which began in the 1960s with 45 rpm discs, and has taken part in many concerts in music venues in America.
