Jussi Raittinen turns 80 in the fall. Although there have been changes in the field of health in recent years, all worries are forgotten on stage.
– This shirt has a special story, musician Jussi Raittinen states while showing off the collared shirt he is wearing.
The shirt is similar to that of the American country singer Porter Wagoner has used. Carriage embroideries decorate the back and glittering cacti on the sleeves. Raittinen bought his in Helsinki.
Jussi Raittinen turns 80 on September 15. Henri Kärkkäinen
The long-time musician, who turns 80 in the fall, will organize a birthday concert at Helsinki’s Kulttuuritalo, in which the current band Jussi & The Boys and several musicians who have been members of the band over the years will also participate.
The band, on the other hand, will turn 60 years old in April 2024. This is why the autumn concert is particularly meaningful.
The band Jussi & The Boys toured elementary and middle schools performing in the 90s. Photo from 1994. IL ARCHIVE
“The knob still plays”
The current year looks busy in Raittinen’s life until autumn. Raittinen and the band are known Rocking my way to me -the release of a party album and gigging within the limits of health.
– I just hope that I stay in shape. It’s everything. Health doesn’t scare me, I don’t sing with my feet. The voice even works so well that people wonder how I am already so old, Raittinen states.
In recent years, Raittinen has experienced changes in his health. In the summer of 2020, Tavastia’s coronavirus infection in the back room and the heart attack she experienced a few weeks later still speak volumes today.
Jussi Raittinen says that he goes to the gym regularly. Henri Kärkkäinen
Raittinen says that the course of everyday life largely depends on how his legs are doing. He says that the problem is, among other things, the blood circulation in the legs.
– Raittinen is a check, someone might say. I’m not a checker, the knob is still playing, Raittinen laughs.
Jussi Raittinen received a birthday card from Elvis’ guitarist Scotty Moore when he turned 50. IL ARCHIVE
My mind stays fresh, especially thanks to Raittinen’s hobby of quizzes, which has continued for many decades.
– I’m turning 80 now, and I’ve been very sick from time to time, so of course you think about your own passing. It’s quite natural. However, I’m very happy to be able to gig, it’s a lifeline for me. Without it, it would certainly be quite difficult, Raittinen reflects.
Although Raittinen has health concerns, on stage he is able to forget everything and let the music take him. Henri Kärkkäinen
Raittinen says that there is one place in the world where health concerns are forgotten.
– I’m such a person that when I’m on stage I forget all troubles and pains, really, he reveals.
Together and separately
Brothers Eero and Jussi Raittinen founded the band The Boys in 1964. The band has had more than 35 members, but the music has always played.
The band has been gigging since the founding years until today. Since music is Raittinen’s passion, the break has not been caused even by the military visit in 1966 or the birth of children.
Raittinen performing at Kallio in Helsinki in 1993. IL ARCHIVE
In the same year, when Raittinen completed his military service, he met at a dance venue Carita– to his wife. Although Carita did know through Raittinen’s music, the couple’s long union has never been based on fandom.
– The night after the meeting, we went to see the Danny Show in Mäntsälä. But Carita has never been involved in music matters. The wife has her own life and her own friends. He takes care of his own friendships and they meet regularly, Raittinen opens.
The couple also have common interests. Skip Bo card games have become a tradition during afternoon coffees, which usually turn out to be a win for the wife.
Best help
Raittinen also highlights his wife’s help. Carita, who trained as a special surgical nurse in the 70s, helps Raittis as best she can.
– So I have the best possible treatment available for my ailments. I have to say that my wife has to work really hard to take good care of me. It requires a lot from him and it takes a lot of time.
In addition to the band, Jussi Raittinen has also done solo productions. IL ARCHIVE
Raittinen states that it is also their luck that the couple lives surrounded by services in the center of Helsinki. Raittinen gets around by taxi, after all, he was chosen as taxi customer of the year in the late 90s.
– I’ve never had a car. Or well, for a short time in the late 60s, but I drove for five days and that was it. If I hadn’t stopped in that crash, I would have died at the wheel sometime later. This is absolutely true, I was such a bad driver, Raittinen laughs.
A documentary film is also being made about the band Raittis and Boys, produced by Jouko Aaltonen and directed and realized by Antti Kuivalainen.
– Yes, you can be satisfied that you have been able to support yourself with this, perform music in interesting places with good guys. The musicians of our band are the best in the country, Raittinen adds with a smile.
Most of all, Raittinen hopes for health in the future. Henri Kärkkäinen