Demis Roussos dies in Athens hospital at 68

Demis Roussos has died aged 68, the Hygeia Hospital in Athens, Greece, has confirmed.

The singer was best known for his solo hits in the 1970s and 80s, including Forever and Ever, Goodbye and Quand je t’aime.

Demis Roussos was also a member of progressive rock group Aphrodite’s Child.

He had been in the private hospital with an undisclosed illness for some time.

Demis Roussos was born Artemios Ventouris Roussos in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1946, to a Greek father and Egyptian mother of Italian origin.

He was raised there until his parents moved to Greece in the early 60s after losing their possessions during the Suez Crisis.

Demis Roussos began his music career at 17, when he joined the a band called The Idols, where he met his future Aphrodite’s Child bandmate Vangelis.

Aphrodite’s Child produced three albums and enjoyed huge success in Europe in the late 1960s, especially France.

Demis Roussos went on to have a solo career, and Forever And Ever topped the charts in several countries in 1973.

Other hits include My Friend the Wind, My Reason, Someday Somewhere and Happy To Be On An Island In The Sun.

The singer’s fondness for kaftans saw him dubbed “the Kaftan King” and he often wore them for his performances on shows such as Top of the Pops.

Demis Roussos sold more than 60 million albums worldwide.

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