Frank Robson
{{Short description|English-born Finnish musician (1946–2024)}}
{{For|the New Zealand marine conservationist|Frank Robson (conservationist)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
File:Kirka-with-Frank-Robson-1972.jpg for recording in 1972]]
Frank Robson (27 April 1946 – 16 November 2024) was an English-born rock musician who achieved fame in Finland. He was known as a singer, pianist and organ player.[http://www.elonet.fi/fi/henkilo/1075032 Frank Robson in elonet] He first travelled to Finland in 1967.
Life and career
Robson was born in Bradford on Avon on 27 April 1946. He had met some Finns in a London pub, and someone had given him their phone number. When Robson's band subsequently was on tour in Scandinavia, he found himself in Stockholm and called the Finnish number. At that time, there was a demand for rock musicians in Finland who had English as their native language, especially for someone with experience from the music circles in London;{{cite news | title = Poppari toi tuulahduksen Lontoosta |trans-title='A pop musician brought a fresh wind from London’ | first = Harri | last = Uusitorppa | url = http://www.hs.fi/ihmiset/art-2000002898263.html | newspaper = Helsingin Sanomat | publisher = Sanoma | date = 27 April 2016 | page = B 14 | accessdate = 27 February 2023 | language = Finnish }} it is said that in London, Robson had played with the Small Faces.{{cite book |title= Rocktieto 3 |trans-title = 'Rock Info 3': N–Z |id = |last= Nyman |first= Jake |authorlink= |year= 1982 |publisher= Fanzine Oy |location= Pirkkala
|isbn= 951-99372-4-2 |page= |pages= }} {{Unreliable source?|date=May 2016}}{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is known to be riddled with errors, and the claim has not been corroborated by non-Finnish sources.|date=January 2025}}
In Finland, Robson joined Mosaic, as their lead singer following Kirill Babitzin's departure to pursue a solo career. Mosaic made a single, both songs on which were penned by Robson. Next Robson was asked to join Blues Section to fill in for Jim Pembroke. In 1968, Robson made a single with the band and they played 50 gigs before breaking up and Robson returned to England. He soon returned to Finland, and joined the Tasavallan Presidentti for their first two albums before getting fired. Robson joined the reformed band in 1999, sharing writing credits on the 2006 album Six Complete with Jukka Tolonen.
Robson released five solo albums. In 2013 he was diagnosed with cancer of the pharynx. After a number of operations, his voice was reduced, but he remained hopeful, saying that "it's somewhere between Joe Cocker and Louis Armstrong." His first two albums, Robson and Stay Awhile were re-released by the Finnish record company Svart Records. The same company also put out a collection of Robson's early singles with a total of 14 songs, and in 2023 released The Lost 1971 Studio Session, Robson' last recorded session with Tasavallan Presidentti.{{cite web |title=Tasavallan Presidentti -yhtyeen Frank Robson on kuollut |url=https://www.soundi.fi/uutiset/tasavallan-presidentti-yhtyeen-frank-robson-on-kuollut/ |access-date=19 November 2024 |publisher=Soundi |date=19 November 2024}}
Robson had two daughters. One of them, Jenny Robson, is also a singer. He died in Lahti, Finland on 16 November 2024, at the age of 78.{{cite news |title=Svart Records julkaisee tammikuussa Tasavallan Presidentti -yhtyeen kadonneen studioäänitteen |url=https://kaaoszine.fi/svart-records-julkaisee-tammikuussa-tasavallan-presidentti-yhtyeen-kadonneen-studioaanitteen/ |date=24 September 2022|access-date=18 January 2025 |publisher=Kaaoszine.fi}}
Solo albums
- Robson (1974)
- Stay Awhile (1976)
- I Painted a Picture (1986)
- Sings Mick Hanian (1987)
- Back in Business (1998)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://yle.fi/elavaarkisto/?s=s&g=8&ag=95&t=517&a=4514 Frank Robson and Mosaic] at YLE Elävä arkisto.
- {{discogs artist|Frank Robson}}
- {{imdb name|5704205}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robson, Frank}}
Category:English expatriates in Finland
Category:Finnish rock musicians