Michalis Samolis was born in the village Aimonas in the precinct of Mylopotamos, Crete in 1947 where he was brought up and finished Primary School. His 3 older brothers were playing the mandolin and encouraged him to do the same. He started playing the mandolin at a very young age.
At the age of eight he had his fist contact with the lyra and at the age of eleven he perfomed for his firts time at a wedding. He graduated 1st Boy High School in Heraklion (Kapetanakio) and afterwards at the Pedagogic Academy of Heraklion.
He performed as a lute player as well with Gianni Kalafatakis, Kosta Mountaki, Dimitri Pasparaki and may others. in 1968 he performed as a lyra player at the Internationl Exhibition in Thessaloniki. Cretan dance was performed by the Cretan dancing School of Zoniana with the president Sofokli and Kriti Zervou.
Besides the profession of lyra player his profession is being teacher. Today he lives in Heraklion and is the Director at the 35th Elementary School of Heraklion.
At the annual festival of Aimona on February 17, 2006 he was honored by the Cultural Association “O PLATON” for his contribution to Cretan music.
Michalis has participated in the album if his nephew Nektarios Samolis titled “Stis lyras ta gyrismata” .
Source: www.aimonas.gr