Antti Kosola

Andrew "Antti" William Kosola (March 4, 1896[1] — 1971[2]) was a Finnish American accordionist, pianist, bandleader and composer.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Kosola was a very well-known musician on the Finnish American stages in New York City. He had his most successful years between 1926 and 1938, when he recorded about 50 pieces for Columbia Records and Victor Talking Machine Company. Some recordings were made with his orchestra and with several notable Finnish American singers, for example Leo Kauppi, Hiski Salomaa, Hannes Saari, Ernest Paananen and others. He also performed together with the famous Finnish American musicians Viola Turpeinen, Sylvia Polso and William Syrjälä. He also made recording sessions with Matti Jurva, Tatu Pekkarinen and Heikki Tuominen when they visited the US in the 1920s and 1930s. One of Kosola's most successful records was the waltz Meren aallot, which he composed and to which Leo Kauppi wrote the lyrics. The recording was made in December 1927 and sold for over 30 000 pieces in the US, Canada and Finland.[3]