Who is Francis Rossi?
Francis Rossi, born on May 29, 1949, in Forest Hill, London, England, is a renowned British musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of the iconic rock band Status Quo. Rossi’s contributions to rock music have made him a celebrated figure in the industry over a career that has spanned over five decades. One of the most recognizable figures in British rock is due to his distinctive guitar riffs and dynamic stage presence.
| Real Name/Full Name | Francis Dominic Nicholas Michael Rossi |
| Date Of Birth | 29 May 1949 |
| Age | 75 years old |
| Birthplace | Forest Hill, London, United Kingdom. |
| Nationality | British |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Zodiac sign | Gemini |
| Height | 5 feet 10 inch |
| Weight | 68 kg |
| Marital Status | Eileen Rossi |
| Children | Finn Rossi, Bernadette Rossi, Fursey Rossi, Simon Rossi, Kyra Rossi, Patrick Rossi, Kieran Rossi, and Nicholas Rossi. |
| Siblings | Not Known |
| Profession | Musician, and Songwriter. |
| Net worth | $8 Million. |
Biography
A Roman Catholic family raised Francis Rossi in London, England on May 29, 1949. His name was inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi. In his youth, he would stay with an aunt in Waterloo during summertime.
Francis’ love for music was influenced by his father, who played trumpet, and his mother, who was a homemaker, supported his dreams. At an early age, Francis developed a love for performing after growing up in a musical household. He was surrounded by siblings who shared his interest in music.
Rossi was educated at Our Lady and St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School before transferring to Sedgehill Comprehensive School.
Personal Life
Francis Rossi has had a couple of marriages. His first marriage was to Jean Rossi from 1967 to 1979. Since 1992, he has been married to his current wife, Eileen Rossi. It is believed that he had a relationship with rock publicist Elizabeth Gernon.
Eight children are part of Francis Rossi’s family. Bernadette Rossi is the name of one person, along with Finn Rossi, Kyra Rossi, Simon Rossi, Fursey Rossi, Patrick Rossi, Nicholas Rossi, and Kieran Rossi. Like their father, his children have inherited his passion for music.
Career
While attending Sedgehill, Rossi became friends with Alan Lancaster in the school orchestra. The band Scorpions was formed by the pair and their fellow classmates Alan Key and Jess Jaworski. The Spectres became the new name of the group after Key was replaced by John Coghlan. Roy Lynes eventually joined the band as a keyboard player.
Three unsuccessful singles were released by the Spectres after signing with Piccadilly Records in 1966. In 1967, the band decided to change its name to Status Quo after changing it again to Traffic Jam. Rick Parfitt was added to the group shortly afterwards, completing the original lineup.
Status Quo became well-known after releasing several breakthrough albums. In 1968, their first significant achievement was the release of ‘Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo’. ‘Pictures of Matchstick Men’ was the single that made this album a hit and charted in the UK.
Status Quo’s commercial breakthrough in 1972 with ‘Piledriver’ came after it released four relatively unsuccessful albums. The album’s hit single, ‘Paper Plane’, peaked at number five in the UK. Status Quo kept producing hits throughout the rest of the 1970s, with many of them reaching the top ten in the UK. The group’s highest-grossing tracks included ‘Caroline,’ ‘Down Down,’ ‘Rain,’ ‘Rockin’ All Over the World,’ and ‘Whatever You Want.’
Status Quo experienced a decline in album sales during the 1990s. The group made the following releases during this time: ‘Rock ’til You Drop,’ ‘Thursty Work,’ the cover album ‘Don’t Stop,’ and ‘Under the Influence’. The band had relatively better success kicking off the 21st century, with albums such as “Famous in the Last Century” and “Heavy Traffic.” Subsequent albums included “Riffs,” “The Party Ain’t Over Yet,” “Quid Pro Quo,” and “Aquostic II – That’s a Fact!,” the final of the band’s albums to feature Parfitt, who passed away shortly after its release in late 2016. At the end of 2019, Status Quo released its most successful album since the early 80s, ‘Backbone,’ which peaked at number six in the UK.
- 2023 The Kemps: All Gold
- 2023 Little Trains & Big Names with Pete Waterman (TV Series)
- 2020 The Kemps: All True
- 2020 Steph’s Packed Lunch (TV Series)
- 2018 Status Quo – Down Down & Dirty at Wacken
- 2014 The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
- 2014 Good Morning Britain (TV Series)
- 2012 Hello Quo
- 2012 Status Quo: Down Down (Prices Are Down)
- 2011 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (TV Series)
- 2011 Best of Night of the Proms Vol. 5
- 2010 Daybreak (2010) (TV Series)
- 2009 Status Quo: Pictures – Live at Montreux
- 2008 Best of Night of the Proms Vol. 3
- 2008 Markus Lanz (TV Series)
- 2007 James May’s 20th Century (TV Series)
- 2007 Concert for Diana
- 2007 Comic Relief (I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles
- 2006 Status Quo – The One And Only
- 2006 The ONE Show (TV Series)
- 2005 Live Aid Remembered
- 2005 Spicks and Specks (TV Series)
- 2004 Live Aid
- 2004 Status Quo – Live Legends
- 2003 Brainiac: Science Abuse (TV Series)
- 2002 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (TV Series)
- 2001 Lorraine (TV Series)
- 2000 BBC Breakfast (TV Series)
- 2000 The Wright Stuff (TV Series)
- 1999 Loose Women (TV Series)
- 1999 Volle Kanne (TV Series)
- 1999 It’s Slade
- 1998 Clarkson (TV Series)
- 1998 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (TV Series)
- 1997 HARDtalk (TV Series)
- 1995 Queen: Champions of the World
- 1993 GMTV (TV Series)
- 1992 Soccer AM (TV Series)
- 1991 Noel’s House Party (TV Series)
- 1990 Les Nuls, The Show (TV Series)
- 1989 Status Quo – Perfect Remedy Tour 1989
- 1988 This Morning (TV Series)
- 1987 Queen: Magic Years, Volume One – A Visual Anthology
- 1987 Going Live! (TV Series)
- 1986 Hale & Pace (TV Series)
- 1986 ZDF-Fernsehgarten (TV Series)
- 1985 Billy Connolly: An Audience with Billy Connolly
- 1985 Live Aid
- 1984 Surprise Surprise! (TV Series)
- 1984 Band Aid: Do They Know It’s Christmas?
- 1982 Saturday Superstore (TV Series)
- 1982 Champs-Elysees (TV Series)
- 1981 Wetten, dass..? (TV Series)
- 1979 Cannon and Ball (TV Series)
- 1978 Cheggers Plays Pop (TV Series)
- 1978 An Audience With (TV Series)
- 1972 Pebble Mill at One (TV Series)
- 1971 The Generation Game (TV Series)
- 1971 The Old Grey Whistle Test (TV Series)
- 1964 Top of the Pops (TV Series)
Net Worth
A net worth of $8 million is the result of Francis Rossi being an English singer, songwriter, and musician. Francis Rossi is best known for founding and playing lead vocals and guitar in the rock band Status Quo. The band’s commercial success began in 1972 with their album ‘Piledriver,’ and it continued to be successful in Europe, Japan, and Australia throughout the 1970s and 80s. Rossi has had the opportunity to work on his own outside of Status Quo. In 2010, Francis Rossi received the Officer of the Order of the British Empire and then released his autobiography, ‘I Talk Too Much’ in 2019.
