Nikolaidis was of
Pontic Greek origin. He first appeared on the Greek music scene in 1962, recording songs written by composers such as
Manolis Chiotis, Apostolos Kaldaras, and
Vassilis Tsitsanis at the famed Greek record label Columbia. Throughout the 1960s, he performed at well-known venues in
Athens with many of the pre-eminent music figures of the time including
Stelios Kazantzidis,
Marinella, Poly Panou,
Kaiti Grey, Manolis Chiotis, Apostolos Kaldaras,
Giorgos Lafkas, Giannis Karabesinis, and others. In 1968, Nikolaidis departed for Canada and the United States for a series of performances, ultimately living and working in the U.S. for more than 25 years. The prohibited
rebetika (Greek "urban blues") songs he recorded and released in his adopted country in the early 1970s became his life's work, making him popular in
Greek diaspora communities around the world. The long-play album "Otan Kapnizi O Loulas" (1973) became an artistic and commercial achievement for Nikolaidis, as well as an impetus for other artists and groups to follow with similar recordings of their own. About the album's impact, Cypriot journalist Nearchos Georgiades wrote: “It is to his credit that he brought these songs back first, and to a large extent to the [Greek music] catalogue, with an inimitable ‘tough’ style and color in his voice, while simultaneously giving them a contemporary sound." During the 1970s and 1980s, Nikolaidis recorded and released a series of classic
laïká and
rebetika albums and embarked on tours throughout the United States, Canada, and Germany. He returned to his native
Greece during the 1990s and performed on stages in Athens, Thessaloniki and
Cyprus through the end of the decade. In 1996 and 1997, Nikolaidis released two albums with music by
laïká composer Giorgos Manisalis. Apostolos Nikolaidis died on 22 April 1999, in Athens from complications from cancer. In accordance with his wishes, his remains were flown back to the United States and buried there. In March 2022, a new book in Greek and English titled "Apostolos Nikolaidis: The Authentic Laïká Singer Who Was Never Censored" was announced by Marilou Press. On 6 June 2022, the book received a highly positive review from popular Greek news and culture website LiFO.gr. In its February 2023 review, American book publishing website BookLife called it “an entertaining mixed-media celebration of an epochal Greek musician”. ==Reviews==