Sotis Volanis

Sotis Volanis (Greek: Σώτης Βολάνης, born Sotiris Stavridis in 20 February 1971) is a Greek singer.

He was born in Akrolimni, Pella, Greece.

In his youth at 13-year-old, he started to learn piano, and roughly 1984 at 14-year-old as a piano player musician he went for work to Düsseldorf, Belgium thereafter, following Munich and other countries.

Upon his return to Thessaloniki in 1995, he began singing in different bouzoukia clubs ‒night clubs where Greek music is performed live‒ in provinces across Greece.

Subsequently he went to Belgium where was working daily.

Returning in 2000 he went to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where at a nightclub he was working as piano player and singer singing Greek songs, from which there he wrote the lyrics and music for the song How much I miss your warm hug (Πόσο Μου Λείπει).

In 2001, released his first music single and shortly after his first music album, from the Vasipap record label located in Thessaloniki.

The song’s success and popularity made him a famous singer across Greece.

He is best known for his 2002 success Poso Mou Leipei (i zesti ankalia sou) (Greek: Πόσο μου λείπει η ζεστή αγκαλιά σου), English How much I miss your warm hug.

Due to his great success the song has been covered several times:

In 2010, Sotis Volanis has spoken openly about to suffer from alcoholism problem stated that he cannot understand how it could have come so far.

The revelation on the problem had experienced Sotis Volanis made at Alter Channel’s television show program Zamanfou with presenter Annita Pania, where he said "The reason why I led to the drinking is because I am introvert person and do not express my feelings", and he had promised "I would not take a sip into my mouth."

The negative health effects, led him, now sober, to seek treatment and, ultimately, he was able to successfully complete a rehabilitation, and has maintained his sobriety since 2014 returns to his career.