Sotiria (meaning "Salvation") Bellou was born on August 29, 1921 in a village in Greece called Chalia, in Chalkis (now known as "Drossia"). She was named after her mother's father, Sotiris who was a priest. She began singing at the age of three, and was soon making her own guitars out of wire and wood. She lived with her grandparents until she was ten, and then went to live with her parents. Her father owned a large grocery store and she began to work for him full time. A turning point came when she went to see the movie "The little emigree" (I prosphygopoula) starring Sophia Vembo. From then on Sotiria would sing her songs all day. She told her parents that she wanted to be a singer when she grew up. Her mother wasn't very happy about that, but her father soon bought her a guitar and paid for private lessons.

Other links on Sotiria:

Sotiria Bellou

Sotiria Bellou: Obituary

Music of Sotiria Bellou and other rebeti.