Due to unspecified adversities, during his childhood he was unable to attend a Greek school, hence lacked basic writing skills.
Before starting his career as a professional musician, Skarvelis worked as a specialist craftsman in the manufacturing of luxury shoes.
Notable among them were Antonis Diamantidis (Dalgkas), Kostas Karipis, Spyros Peristeris, Rita Abatzi, Grigoris Asikis.
Among others he worked with, he accompanied the famous Tetras (Markos Vamvakaris, Giorgos Batis, Stratos Pagioumtzis, Anestos Delias) in many of their performances.
He died of starvation in Athens on 8 April 1942, sharing the fate of hundreds of thousands of Greeks during the Great Famine that resulted from the occupation of Greece by the Axis during the Second World War.