Press Kit – Wrafmusic

symbol PRESS RELEASE WALTER ROOTSIE AND HIS BLUE CONNECTION

Helsinki – A true rarity in the European roots scene, Walter Rootsie and his Blue Connection stand as one of Finland’s most distinctive Americana bands. An unique Americana band from Finland with a Dutch heart. Formed in 2005 by Dutch singer-songwriter Walter “Rootsie” Hopmans, the band brings their own songs and sounds together with talented Finnish musicians and a passion for roots music.

Their sound is a rich mix of blues, country, rock, folk, and singer-songwriter styles—with influences ranging from Finnish backgrounds to outlaw country, swamp blues and rock. 20 years touring throughout Europe with pure, honest music—from fiery blues to dusty heartland ballads. The band writes and performs all original material and has released several well-received albums, Waiting, Get Up And Go, and Dark Water. Their songs Forget Your Name, Criminal in Grain, and Running Down Slow have received international radio airplay and chart recognition across Europe and beyond.

As they celebrate this year 2025 their 20 years of making music together, the band is currently touring a jubilee tour and finishing their new album, People Talk, set for worldwide release in September 2025.

Band Members:

Walter Rootsie – Lead vocals, guitars, harp, mandolin

Jan “Smedu” Smedberg – Bass

Anssi Lehtivuori – Drums, percussion, backing vocals

Parska Saharinen – Electric guitar, slide, dobro

Find out more at: https://www.wrafmusic.com or visit their Facebook page Walter Rootsie and his blue Connection.

Walter Rootsie appears on Wraf records©

PRESS RELEASE NEW ALBUM PEOPLE TALK – release September 2025

Walter Rootsie and his Blue Connection – People Talk ( 2025)

The band is quite unique in the 20 years they play this year. The band is formed in Vantaa, Finland in 2005 around singer songwriter Walter “Rootsie” Hopmans from Amsterdam together with top musicians from Finland. After the release of the album Dark Water in 2013 the band continued touring and playing. In all those years they made numerous of new songs and played them successfully live. From all these new songs a first selection of 10 songs is made for new recordings and arrangements.

The title of the album People Talk is referring to theme of talking. Talking in many ways about feelings, problems, fear, love. This album deserves a few rounds until you discover it all.

Songs:

People talk
Depression
The Hole Time
Gone, Gone, Gone
Please To Meet
You Kiss The Wrong Guy
Empty Heart
Eternal Love
We Both Know
Old Love

The band:

Walter Rootsie; vocals, acoustic guitar, percussions

Parska Saharinen; electric guitar, tremolo guitar

Jan Smedberg; bass guitar

Anssi Lehtivuori; drums

Guest players:

Tommi Laine; electric guitar, e-bow, slide guitar, low guitar, tremolo guitar

Gona Lehtinen; electric guitar, Gretch guitar

Mike Roelofs; hammond, organ, piano, wurlitzer

Recorded and mixed in IJland studio, Amsterdam

Engineer IJland Studio: Tim Visser

Additional recordings in studio’s Vantaa, Tampere, Helsinki, Nijmegen

Produced: Walter Rootsie

Mastering: Pete Maher at Pete Maher mastering studio, London

Artwork: Sami Hopmans

All songs written and composed by Walter Rootsie