Stelios Chrisinis was born in Piraeus in 1916. He was the fourth child, after Mary, Basil and Panayiotis, in a middle-class family. His parents were of Arvanite origin. Stelios and his brother Panayiotis, who was six years older, both became blind at a young age. They were taught violin, piano, guitar, lute, and mandolin which made it easy for them to learn bouzouki and baglama. In the early 30’s they became known for their ability to reproduce the music and songs from various shows, revues, operettas and became known within the circle of musicians. The composer Lefteris Gounaro said he first heard them in the Vrioni bar in Piraeus in 1932 or 33. Stelios played bouzouki and Panayiotis the guitar, and people were queueing to hear them.
In 1934 Stelios recorded the song “Yesterday evening in our teke” (Columbia DG 21224), with Stellakis Perpiniadis. He worked with the famous violinists Demetrios Semsis (Salonikios) and Panagiotis Tountas. In the prewar years he worked with all the record companies. During the Occupation he worked in restaurants in the capital and elsewhere. He also taught singing and music; Stelios Kazantzidis was one of his pupils.
He died on February 14, 1970, from liver failure due to obesity and drinking.