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Matti Eskonniemi was born in Oulu, Finland in 1947. He got a flute as a Christmas present in 1960 and that started his music hobby. He studied music in Oulu for six years. He worked in a printing house to get money to buy a saxophone. He started his career in music by playing in a band (for example: saxophone was his instrument). He was very musical and when the singer of the band was ill, Matti replaced him and sung songs "Strangers In The Night" and a Finnish song "Hopeinen kuu" (Translated in English: Silver Moon"). This was Matti's first job as a singer. After this he decided to be a singer. He contested in "Tähtijahti" (Translated: Hunting of the star") competition and he was seventh. He recorded to the competition's record two songs "Koskaan et muuttua saa" and "Mä luulen vain" (translated: "You must not never change", "I just think so"). He went to meet Finnish "guru of music" Toivo Kärki, but Kärki said that Matti was too old to be in music business. And Matti was then just 20 years old!
Matti didn't give up and he got a recording deal from Martti Piha who was working in PSO record company. When he got the deal he found out that he needed an artist name. So he selected Matti Esko. That was from his original name: Matti Eskonnimi. His first album was "Pohjatuuli" (Translated: "North wind") in 1970. His first hit was "Tietää saat viimeinkin" (Translated: "Finally you are allowed know"). With this song he finished third in Finland's biggest song contest Syksyn Sävel in 1970. After this he found out that he earned enough to live with his music job and became full-time singer. He made more records, but they didn't include and big hits, but still Matti Esko was very popular. Some his songs from 70s are now evergreens of Finnish music, like finnish version of "Jennie, Jennie" (Sweden's Eurovison song contest song) and Trasselijussin salsa from 1977 (Translated "Salsa of Trasselijussi"). In 1980 Matti Esko moved with his family to Järvenpää, which was closer to his audience than Oulu.
In 1981 he recorded Kenny Roger's hit "Lady" in Finnish called "Yksin" (Translated: "Alone"). His first big hit was Lämmin, hellä, pehmoinen (Translated: Warm, tender, soft") and he got his first gold record from album called "Matti Esko" in 1984. His first and only time when he contested in Finnish Eurovison competition was in 1987 and his song was "Isäni maa" (translated: My father's land). The winner would be Finland's contester in Eurovision song contest, and Matti Esko was sixth.
His greatest and most known hit is "Rekkamies" (Translated: "Truck driver") from 1987. The song tells about truck drivers hard work. The album "Rekkamies" was a big success and Matti got a diamond record from this album. This was a huge boost to Matti Esko's career: he was more popular than ever. And the song "Rekkamies" is now a true evergreen. Matti Esko's success continued when he got gold records from albums "Matti Esko" in 1988 and "Näin Suomi pysyy pyörillään" (Translated: This is how Finland stays on its wheels") in 1989. In 1989 He also recorded a Christmas album, which included the most loved Christmas songs in Finland. His next success was album called "Reissumies" (Translated: "Wandering man"), and he got another gold record from this album in 1991. He recorded albums "Lämmin ja niin tuttu" (Translated: "Warm and so familiar") in 1993, Kulkuri (Translated: "Man of the Road") also in 1993, "Luokses palaan" (Translated: "I shall return to you") in 1995. After one more album, "Ei sammu sieluni lyhty", he suffered from heart attack and after that from depression for six years. During this time some collection albums were published. Matti Esko recovered greatly and now he works also as a person who supports people who suffer from depression. In 2002 Matti Esko was nominated for "Iskelmä Finlandia" which is the biggest award in Finnish music for singers. Matti Esko made a great comeback in 2003 with his album "Viisi pitkää yötä" (Translated: "Five long nights") and many critics said that it's a great album. It include hits like "Viisi pitkää yötä" and "Olet ainut rakkautein" (Translated: "You are my only love") and many other great songs.
Matti Esko is known as a "truck driver" in Finland, thanks to his big hit. Many of his songs are about truck drivers, like "Viisi pitkää yötä" and "Näin Suomi pysyy pyörillään". Adjectives which are often used about Matti Esko are modest, friendly and honest. This has been very important factor among his great talent, which have helped him to stay in the top singers in Finland from 1970s to this day.
