{{Short description|Greek traditional musician (1934–2025)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Petroloukas Chalkias | native_name = Πετρολούκας Χαλκιάς | image = Petroloukas Halkias (48890823881).jpg | alt = | caption = Chalkias performing in 2019 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1934|7|27}} | birth_place = Delvinaki, Epirus, Greece | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2025|6|15|1934|7|27}} | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Traditional musician | years_active = 1945–2025 | known_for = | notable_works = }}
'''Petroloukas Chalkias''' ({{langx|el|Πετρολούκας Χαλκιάς}}; 27 July 1934 – 15 June 2025) was a Greek traditional musician.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ΤΣΑΒΑΛΟΣ |first=ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ |date=16 June 2025 |title=Πετρολούκας Χαλκιάς: Η συνάντηση με Λούις Άρμστρονγκ και Μπένι Γκούντμαν -Οι «ύμνοι» από Μπιλ Κλίντον |url=https://www.iefimerida.gr/stories/o-petroloykas-o-loyis-armstrongk-kai-o-klinton |access-date=16 June 2025 |website=iefimerida.gr |language=el}}</ref>
== Life and career == Chalkias was born on 27 July 1934 in Delvinaki, his father, Pericles, came from the village of Kastaniani in Pogoni, and was a clarinetist.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 March 2017 |title=O Πετρολούκας Χαλκιάς κάποτε είδε άλογο να σηκώνεται όρθιο, ακούγοντας το κλαρίνο του {{!}} LiFO |url=https://www.lifo.gr/proswpa/athenians/o-petroloykas-halkias-kapote-eide-alogo-na-sikonetai-orthio-akoygontas-klarino |access-date=16 June 2025 |website=www.lifo.gr |language=el}}</ref> He began his involvement with the clarinet at the age of 11, despite the refusal of his father, with whose help he made his first public appearance at that age.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Πέτρο Λούκας Χαλκιάς |url=http://www.e-delvinaki.gr/istoria/Xalkias.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029044042/http://www.e-delvinaki.gr/istoria/Xalkias.html |archive-date=29 October 2016 |access-date=16 June 2025 |website=www.e-delvinaki.gr}}</ref> After this event he went to Athens where he played with his father and his violinist brother Achilleas (1937–2015) and where he made his first radio appearance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Administrator |title=Το βιογραφικό του Πέτρο Λούκα Χαλκιά |url=http://ipirosparadosi.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=419:2013-11-08-13-28-50&catid=40:2012-08-20-15-52-17&Itemid=65 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408174018/http://ipirosparadosi.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=419:2013-11-08-13-28-50&catid=40:2012-08-20-15-52-17&Itemid=65 |archive-date=8 April 2016 |access-date=16 June 2025 |website=ipirosparadosi.gr |language=el-gr}}</ref>
In 1960, he emigrated to the United States where he stayed for 20 years and spread Greek traditional music.{{cn|date=March 2026}}
In 1979, he returned to Greece and settled in Athens. He played in well-known music centers and concerts, appeared in radio and television shows and participated in recordings and albums with well-known artists.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NEWSROOM |date=15 June 2025 |title=Πετρολούκας Χαλκιάς: Πέθανε ο μεγάλος δεξιοτέχνης του κλαρίνου |url=https://www.news247.gr/politismos/mousiki/petroloukas-xalkias-pethane-o-megalos-dexiotexnis-tou-klarinou/ |access-date=16 June 2025 |website=News 24/7 |language=el}}</ref>
Chalkias died on 15 June 2025, at the age of 90.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NEWSROOM |date=15 June 2025 |title=Πετρολούκας Χαλκιάς: Πέθανε ο μεγάλος δεξιοτέχνης του κλαρίνου |url=https://www.news247.gr/politismos/mousiki/petroloukas-xalkias-pethane-o-megalos-dexiotexnis-tou-klarinou/ |access-date=16 June 2025 |website=News 24/7 |language=el}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{discogs artist|Petro-Loukas Chalkias}} * {{IMDb name|2159286}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chalkias, Petroloukas}} Category:1934 births Category:2025 deaths Category:20th-century Greek musicians Category:21st-century Greek musicians Category:Greek expatriates in the United States