Jussi & the Boys is a Finnish rock band formed in 1966 by Jussi Raittinen, following the breakup of the duo Eero ja Jussi & The Boys. The band marks the beginning of Jussi Raittinen's independent career after his stint with EMI-Columbia. Jussi & the Boys specialized in a style combining traditional rock'n'roll, rhythm and blues, rockabilly and country, with lyrics mainly in Finnish, often derived from translations or adaptations of Anglo-Saxon standards. The band became a mainstay of the Finnish rock scene, renowned for its longevity, its commitment to the spirit of classic rock and its active live approach. The line-up has often varied over the decades, but has always revolved around Jussi Raittinen, the driving force behind the project. Notable members include Heimo Holopainen, Måns Groundstroem, Jukka Orma and, at times, Mikko Kuustonen. The band released a dozen studio albums, including Mä tahdon rokata (1973) and Pojat asialla (1974) in the midst of the original rock'n'roll revival, then Kantri Ja Rock (1975) in a country rock style and Kehä kaartuu (1975) oriented towards roots rock. In 1979, they returned to their rock'n'roll style with the new wave album Lapsilta kielletty, then reformed in 2002 for the album Shake! and another shared with Jorma Kääriäinen + Agents, Pop Show (2004). A new album, Unioninkatu 45 , was released in 2018, before a final one in 2023, Rokaten tieni meen. A member of all successive incarnations, in 1966-1967, 1968-1971, 1972-1979 and 2000-2023, Jussi Raittinen died of a long illness on February 13, 2024, aged 80.
