Hiski Salomaa, born on May 17, 1891, in Kangasniemi, Finland, was a Finnish-American singer and songwriter. He moved to the United States in 1909 following his mother's death, initially working as a tailor in Michigan. His music career began with recordings for Columbia Records between 1927 and 1938, during which he released notable songs such as "Tiskarin Polkka", "Vapauden Kaiho", and "Lännen Lokari". Salomaa's work, often described in Finglish, resonated deeply within the Finnish diaspora but was less accessible to non-Finno-American audiences. His contributions are considered significant in Finnish music history, particularly as he recorded during a period when no other discs were being produced in Finland between 1917 and 1925. Salomaa's recordings have been reissued since the 1970s, including compilations like Hiski Salomaan kootut teokset 1927-1931 (released posthumously in 1991) and Longing for Freedom (released posthumously in 2020). He passed away on July 7, 1957.
