Kari Tapio

Kari Tapani Jalkanen (22 November 1945 Ô[][] 7 December 2010), better known by his stage name Kari Tapio, was a Finnish schlager and country & western singer. He was one of the most popular singers in Finland for decades, selling over 826,000 certified records during his career and posthumously. Tapio was born in Suonenjoki, Finland. In the 1960s Tapio performed in his home town Pieks├ñm├ñki with the local bands ER-Quartet and Jami & The Noisemakers. In 1966 he took singing lessons from Ture Ara. After his first single "Tuuli k├ñ├ñntyk├Â├Ân"/"Niskavuoren nuorimmainen" in 1972 Kari Tapio performed in Ilkka "Danny" Lipsanen's show. In the beginning his role was to take care of the snake that was used in the show. Before music became a job for him Kari Tapio worked as a typesetter in a printing house. In 1976 Tapio finally broke through with his single "Laula kanssain" (a Finnish cover of "Sing My Lovesong") which was followed by "Viisitoista kes├ñ├ñ" (a Finnish cover of Living Next Door to Alice) and "Kaipuu" ("Desire"). In later years "Olen suomalainen" ("I am Finnish", a Finnish cover of Toto Cutugno's "L'Italiano"), "Myrskyn j├ñlkeen" ("After the Storm"), "En pyyd├ñ paljon" ("I Don't Ask For Much") and the newest "Paalupaikka" ("Pole Position"), among others, have been his most popular songs. In 2003 the Iskelm├ñ-Finlandia award was given to him.