Fin-A-Billy Part 6: Hal Peters Trio

These guys played authentic Rockabilly light-years before it became a genre within the Rockabilly scene. Formed in 1984 in Finland's capitol Helsinki as Hal Peters Trio the name got slightly changed some years later(1988) to Hal Peters and his Trio when a fourth band member was added. They lasted till late 1994 when Hal Peters and his Countrymen were founded(now a 6-piece), who got replaced March 1998 by Hal Peters and his Stringdusters. But in 2009 it was back to the roots, a new 45 was released as Hal Peters Trio and the band played it's 25th anniversary gig at the 25 Years Goofin' Records Anniversary After-party.

No Finn is called Hal Peters of course, so Hal's real name is Heikki Laakkonen but as 'Heikki Laakkonen Trio' sounds more like a Jazz Trio from the 60s it was a smart move to use an English stage-name. Peters and his boys have released a bunch of records over the years. There are two LPs each by Hal Peters Trio, Hal Peters and His Trio and Hal Peters and his Stringdusters(okay, one's a 10" and it was actually recorded when they still called themselves Hal Peters and his Countrymen), as well as a bunch of 45s, one 12" and various CDs. 

The band started as straight mid-50s Rockabilly band but with the years passing by they began to play more and more Hillbilly and Western Swing. This is what lead to the changes in band-names(Countrymen, Stringdusters). So if you like the later get the Stringdusters records, otherwise stay with the Trio(both versions) releases for some straight, no bullshit, old-school Rockabilly!