Xylouris started playing the Cretan laouto, a relative of the lute, at an early age,[2] guided by his uncle Psarogiannis.

Giorgos lived for eight years in Melbourne, Australia, where he formed the Xylouris Ensemble "in the early 1990s".

[3][4] Two of the Xylouris Ensemble's albums, Antipodes (1998) and Drakos (1999), were nominated for the ARIA Fine Arts Awards in Australia.

Normally in an ensemble, the laouto provides the rhythmic backing to the lyra, which is par excellence a singer's instrument.

[5][6][7][8] Xylouris has performed extensively both in his native Crete, in his second home Australia, and internationally at world music festivals, collaborating with musicians from both folk and rock traditions, including Australian drummer Jim White in the duo Xylouris White.