Mimis Plessas was born in Athens and he has been, since he was a student, the lead piano soloist at the Greek National Radio. With his first quartet and his orchestras as well, he co-operated with all the famous singers of that time. He was a young pianist, when he was honored with the first music award from the Minesota University on 1951. The following year he became the fifth ranked pianist in the United States. At the same time, he was studying chemistry in the Cornel University.
During his presence in the United States, he met and collaborated with very important musicians and singers, as Quincy Jones and Sarah Vaughan. With her played several times as her pianist.
Since 1952, he has been occupied with composition and was honored six times in Greece and seven times internationally (Barcelona, Barsobia, Belgium, Paris, U.S.A., Tokyo, Alto Monte)
He has discovered many famous singers and actors (Nana Mouskouri, Tzeni Vanou, Giovana, Marinela, Zoe Kouroukli, Rena Koumioti, Yannis Vogiatzis, Yannis Poulopoulos, Tolis Voskopoulos, Stratos Dionisiou and others.)
He composed for the theater and the cinema, both in the classical and the progressive sector and he won many Greek and international distinctions (Paris, Edinburgh, Alto Monte, Washington, Karlovi Vary).
He has composed the music for 104 movies and 70 theatrical performances as well. He has given concerts, leading the greatest orchestras all over the world.
He was repeatedly honored by gold and platinum disks, and with his composition The Road –the verses by Lefteris Papadopoulos- there is no doubt that he is one of the highest selling artists in Greek Discography. In 1993 he composed the music for the play by George Orwell, Animal Farm, which was presented by the National Theater. In June of 2000, the City of Athens honored him for his contribution to Greek Music and the Mayor of Athens awarded him the Gold Medal of the city of Athens, in a grand symphonic concert at the Athens Music Hall.
For the same reason, as part of the ¨Athens’ Festival¨, he was honored by the Navy General Headquarters, in a special event at the Lycabettus Theater.
In January of 2001, the President of the Democracy, awarded him with the Gold Cross of the Phoenix Order, for his contribution at the Civilization of Greece.
In 30 May 2002, under the auspice of the Ministry of Culture, he celebrated his 50 years in the Greek Music Scene, at the Herod Atticus Odeon, in a very successful concert, with the participation of well known artists of the Greek Music Scene, orchestras and choirs, so as very important soloists. At this concert, he was honored with the Medal of the city of Athens, for a second time.
In November 2002, he staged, for the celebration of his 50 years in the Greek Music Scene, an enormous concert at the Athens Music Hall, with the participation of Yannis Kotsiras and Dimitris Basis, and he was honored by the ¨Corporation for the Rights of the Artists¨ as the most enduring Greek Composer.
In September of the same year, he was honored for fourth time, by the ¨Academy of the Korfiatical Awards¨ for his contribution in the cinema. In November of the same year, the Hellenic College of London awards him with the title of the ¨Honorary Doctor of Music¨, for his 50 year contribution.
In 2003 the Ministry of Culture and Education of Cyprus honored him with the supreme distinction “Salamina”, for his contribution to world civilization, while the same year he was honored by the “Arion” Music Awards, for his total contribution.
By the established Academy “Dreamworks”, he was appointed President. In May of 2005, he staged the opening performance of the ‘‘Athens Festival’’, on the anniversary of his 50 years, in a spectacular performance.
Ιn August 2006, he staged a unique performance in the Castle of Antirrio, with the support of Gefyra Rio – Antirrio S.A. under the title We Greeks have a word for music… Μουσική with well known musicians and performers of 13 countries of the world that interpreted his songs in 13 languages.
On 2006 and 2007 he released 2 new albums from the label Artway – Technotropon, “Jazz … the way we like it” Live and “La mar” - Roads of the Sea. The first is a live recording from the club Mylos in Thessaloniki with the legendary Mimis Plessas’ Jazz Quartet, while the latter is a unique work based on an idea of Klaudia Delmer who performs songs from Greek and Spanish poets.
In 2007 he was awarded with the honorary distinction of the Cross of St. Andrew by the Holly Patriarch of Instanbul, Mr. Vartholomeos. In the Concert Hall of the Exhibition Centre Lütfi Kirdar he gave later a special concert with several artists.
In the early 2008 he released the album ¨The Mimis Plessas songbook – 12 sketches¨ which was recorded in Holland, featuring Maria Markesini and the famous Dutch bands Bart De Win Quartet and Jurriaan Berger Quartet. In the next c.d. of Maria Markesini featuring the famous Cameroonian singer and bass player Richard Bona, singing in greek one of Plessas songs.
On the spring of 2008 he was honored from the University of Patras for his contribution in Chemistry with the relative award and on April 2010 he was named Honorary Doctor of Chemistry at the University of Patras.
Today, orchestras from all over the world, famous musicians and singers play his songs worldwide. He is actively working, maintaining the highest level which characterized all his creations and his concert performances that established him internationally.