Jyrki Hämäläinen

Jyrki Hämäläinen (27 July 1942 Tampere, Finland - 18 March 2008) was a Finnish magazine editor who also authored several biographies of prominent figures in Finnish pop culture. Hämäläinen was the former editor of Suosikki, a magazine which focuses on the country's pop music scene.[1] Hämäläinen also worked as an MC, concert promoter, columnist and producer.[1]

Jyrki Hämäläinen was the editor of Suosikki, a teen magazine, from 1968 until his retirement from the publication in 2002.[1] Hämäläinen was well known for interviewing high-profile celebrities including The Rolling Stones, Muhammad Ali and Elvis Presley.[1] Hämäläinen, who often had his photograph taken with the celebrity whom he was interviewing, was nicknamed the "king of the backstage passes."[1]

Hämäläinen also authored several biographies of leading people within Finnish popular culture.[1] The subjects of his writings included Olavi Virta (born 1915 - died 1972), a Finnish tango singer; Urpo Lahtinen (born 1931 - died 1994), a media mogul and the founder of the gossip magazine, Hymy; and Finnish singer Ilkka “Danny” Lipsanen.[1]

Jyrki Hämäläinen died suddenly at the age of 65 at his home in Espoo, Finland, on 18 March 2008.[1] Hämäläinen had complained of stress and had been hospitalized due to illness for a short time before he died.[1]

Not to be confused with journalist Jyrki "Spider" Hämäläinen who is the author of Killing Joke: Are You Receiving? biography.[2]