Giorgos Manolakis was born in Heraklion, Crete in 1982. When he was eight years old he began learning the cretan laouto, taught by his father, Kostas Manolakis, who was one of the major laouto players of his generation. After six years he began studying the bouzouki beside several remarkable teachers. Today Giorgos Manolakis is considered one of the greatest virtuosos of his generation on the laouto and bouzouki. He has worked with many notable musicians and composers: Ross Daly, Hainides, Naseer Shamma, Psarantonis, Sokratis Malamas, Zohar Fresco and others.