About

Known credits:
38
Birthday:
1949-05-29
Place of birth:
Forest Hill, London, England, UK
Website:

Francis Rossi

Overview

Francis Dominic Nicholas Michael Rossi, OBE (born 29 May 1949) is an English musician. He is the co-founder, lead singer, lead guitarist and the sole continuous member of the rock band Status Quo.

Rossi was born on 29 May 1949 in Forest Hill, London. His father's side of the family were Italian ice cream merchants and had an ice cream business in South London, and his mother was a Northern Irish Roman Catholic from Liverpool. He grew up in a household with his parents, grandmother, and "lots of aunts and uncles" and was given a Roman Catholic upbringing, having been named after Saint Francis of Assisi. He spent his summer holidays as a child with an aunt in Waterloo, Merseyside. He attended Our Lady and St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School in Sydenham, and then Sedgehill Comprehensive School, from which he was expelled on his last day for having allowed his classmates to deface his school uniform. His desire to become a musician began after seeing The Everly Brothers live on television at a young age, after which he asked his parents to buy him a guitar for Christmas.

In 1962, while attending Sedgehill Comprehensive School, Rossi became close friends with future Status Quo bassist Alan Lancaster while playing trumpet in the school orchestra. The two, along with other classmates Alan Key (drums) and Jess Jaworski (keyboards), formed a band called the Scorpions, who played their first gig at the Samuel Jones Sports Club in Dulwich. Key was later replaced by Air Cadets drummer and future Quo member John Coghlan, and the band was renamed the Spectres. The Spectres wrote their own material and played live shows; the line-up soon included Redhill-based keyboard player Roy Lynes, whom they had seen performing with a band called the Echoes who were also based in Redhill. In 1965, the Spectres played at a Butlins holiday camp in Minehead. There Rossi met his future long-time Status Quo partner Rick Parfitt, who was playing as part of another band, the Highlights. The two became close friends and agreed to continue working together. In 1966, the Spectres signed a five-year deal with Piccadilly Records, releasing three singles that failed to chart. The group again changed their name, this time to Traffic Jam, after embracing psychedelia.

In 1967, Traffic Jam changed its name to The Status Quo, but eventually dropped the definite article. Shortly afterward Parfitt joined the band, completing the original line-up, and beginning an almost 50-year partnership with Rossi until Parfitt's death in 2016. Rossi had written a song called "Pictures of Matchstick Men", which hit the charts in both the UK and the US in 1968, launching their hit-making career. After some years of minor success, the band reached #5 in the album charts in 1972 with Piledriver. Released on Vertigo Records, it included "Paper Plane", a song penned by Rossi and Bob Young, which was released as a single. Status Quo continued to enjoy major success in the UK, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand through the 1970s and 1980s. They were the opening act of 1985's Live Aid, and Rossi wrote and co-wrote some of their biggest hits, including "Caroline" and the band's only number one single, "Down Down". ...

Source: Article "Francis Rossi" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Known for

Acting

2024 Status Quo - Live at Zurich Airport Actor Himself N/A
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2024 The Making of Do They Know It’s Christmas? Actor Self N/A
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2024 Status Quo, Rockin' All Over The World Actor Himself 58
Average
2023 The Kemps: All Gold Actor Self N/A
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2019 Status Quo - Live at Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park 2019 Actor Self N/A
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2018 Status Quo – Down Down & Dirty at Wacken Actor Self N/A
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2017 Status Quo - The Last Night of the Electrics Actor Self 59
Average
2016 Status Quo - Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park 2016 Actor Self N/A
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2015 Status Quo - Aquostic - Live at the Roundhouse Actor Self 59
Average
2014 Status Quo: The Frantic Four’s Final Fling - Live At The Dublin 02 Arena Actor Self 59
Average
2013 Status Quo - The Frantic Four Reunion Actor Self 59
Average
2013 Bula Quo! Actor Francis 58
Average
2012 Hello Quo Actor Self 58
Average
2011 Best of Night of the Proms Vol. 5 Actor Self N/A
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2011 Francis Rossi: Live at St Lukes London Actor Self N/A
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2010 Status Quo - Live at the BBC Actor Self 59
Average
2009 Status Quo - Pictures Live at Montreux 2009 Actor Self 59
Average
2008 Live At Knebworth 1990 - Parts 1, 2 & 3 Actor Self 59
Average
2008 Best of Night of the Proms Vol. 3 Actor Self N/A
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2007 Concert for Diana Actor Self 59
Average
2006 Status Quo - Just Doin' It! Actor Self 59
Average
2006 Status Quo ‎– The One And Only Actor Self N/A
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2005 John Peel's Record Box Actor Self 58
Average
2005 Status Quo - Avo Session 2005 Actor Self N/A
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2005 Live Aid Against All Odds Actor Self N/A
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2004 Live Aid Actor Self 59
Average
2004 Status Quo: XS All Areas - The Greatest Hits Actor Self N/A
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2004 Status Quo - Live Legends Actor Self N/A
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2003 Status Quo - Anniversary Waltz Actor Self N/A
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2002 When Rock Ruled the World Actor Self N/A
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1991 Status Quo - Rock 'Til You Drop Actor Self N/A
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1989 Status Quo - Perfect Remedy Tour 1989 Actor Self 59
Average
1985 An Audience with Billy Connolly Actor Self - Audience Member (uncredited) 59
Average
1985 Live Aid Actor Self 60
Fair
1985 The Best of Cannon & Ball Actor Self N/A
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1984 Status Quo - End Of The Road '84 Actor Self N/A
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Status Quo - The Party Ain't Over Yet Actor Self 59
Average
Status Quo Reunion Tour 2013 Actor Self N/A
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