Rita Sakellariou, born Margarita Sakellariou in 1934 in Chamezi, Crete, Greece, was a notable Greek singer. After her father's death during the civil war, she left school at twelve to support her family and began singing in taverns in Piraeus. Her breakthrough came through a collaboration with composer Vassilis Tsitsanis, establishing her in the Laïko tradition of urban folk music. Sakellariou's first solo album, Kathe Iliovasilema, was released in 1970, followed by her most successful album, Istoria Mou, in 1972. Notable songs include "Istoria mou, Amartia mou" and "Oi Andres kai oi Handres". She met wrestler Stefanos Sidiropoulos in 1969, married him in 1970, and they opened the Queen Ann nightclub, a popular venue for political figures and celebrities. Despite facing challenges with new musical trends in the 1980s and 1990s, she remained active until her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 1998. Sakellariou passed away in 1999.
