Panagiotis Toundas, born in 1886 in Smyrne, Greece, was a notable singer and musician known for his contributions to Rebetiko music. He learned the mandoline from an early age and performed with various musical groups. Following the Catastrophe of Asia Minor, he played mandoline in various cabarets. His breakthrough came in 1924 when he directed the ODEON record label's Athens branch and recorded "Smyrnia" with the Estudiantina athénienne de Tasos Marinos, becoming the first popular Greek artist to have his name on a record label. In 1931, Toundas took over artistic direction at Columbia and "His Master's Voice," which later merged into EMI. His discography includes approximately 350 songs interpreted by notable singers such as Kostas Roukounas, Stélios Perpiniádis, Róza Eskenázy, and Ríta Abatzí. Toundas passed away on May 23, 1942.
