Fredi

The Story of Fredi (by Vesa Nykänen, Joensuu/Finland)

Finnish singer Fredi, alias Matti Siitonen, born 1942, started his career with the band called `Five Pennies’. It was together during 1960-1963. 1964 he grounded the band called `Stone Faces`. Later, in the early 70`s, the same group acted a very famous comedy tv-show for many years. Their music career didn`t though succeed very well in the sixties and Fredi made a new start as a solo artist.

His first solo single record was the cover of the Dutch-Swedish folk singer Cornelis Vreeswijk´s song `Ballad på en soptipp`(`Roskisdyykkarin balladi` in Finnish). It made very well and Fredi used artist name `Folk-Fredi` for couple years. Finally, in the year 1967 Fredi started to use artist name `Fredi`. 1967 Fredi was Finlands  representative in the European Song Contest with the song `Varjoon - Suojaan`. That spesific single is his first connection to Mike d`Abo. On the flip side of the single he sang the song `Liian myöhään` (originally `Too late my love`/ The Band of Angels) which is composed by Mike. Another connection is from the same year. Fredi covered in Finnish The Manfred Mann hit `Ha Ha Said The Clown` (`OY sanoi hän` in Finnish) which is sung by Mike.

During 1967 until late 70`s he was very succesful as a singer. He is also very talented as a songwriter and he has written many succesful songs to other artists in Finland. 1976 he performed second time in the European Song Contest with his own song `Pump Pump`. His albums sold extremely well and it is justified to say that he was Finlands most succesful male artist in the mid 70`s. He made many, many succesful single recordings. As examples can be mentioned Engelbert Humberdinck´s `A Man Without Love` (`Milloinkaan en löydä samanlaista` in Finnish) and  Andy Williams hit `Love Story` (`Rakkaustarina` in Finnish).

Fredi has withdrawn himself from the showbusiness voluntarily since late 70`s because of health reasons. After that he has made only few recordings but yet he has not stopped composing songs and luckily, after all, in the year 2012 he is still going strong!