Michalis Genitsaris (1917–2005) was a Greek rebetiko singer, composer, and bouzouki player born in Agia Sofia, Piraeus. Often described as the "last rebetis," he began his professional career in 1935. At age 17, Genitsaris composed “Ego Mangas Fenomouna”, a song he later discussed in the Australian SBS programme Music of the Outsiders. During the Second World War, he wrote “Saltadoros”, which became an anthem for the Greek resistance. Genitsaris withdrew from the music industry in 1953 to work at a vegetable market before resuming his career in the mid-1970s. His discography includes the albums Τα ρεμπέτικα του Γενήτσαρη (1975) and Ένας ρεμπέτης τραγουδά (1976), as well as the live recording Saltadoros (1991). He also composed “Enas Leventis Esvise” in honor of Aris Velouchiotis. Genitsaris died of a respiratory infection on May 11, 2005.
