The Indomitable Musician

I dedicate the book to my late husband, the well-known Albanian artist, Françesk Radi. He left behind the story of a 20-year-old man with a guitar who was persecuted by one of the cruelest dictatorial regimes. My never-fading love for Franko empowered me to raise myself above the pain and lethargy in order to prevent his story hiding beneath the dust of forgetfulness.

Franko was the first Albanian singer-songwriter. He brought innovation to modern Albanian music. His work, from its beginnings, departed from the classic structure of Albanian light music and his musical creativity founded the Albanian version of English and American pop-rock. Franko's performances aimed to bring awareness and social change. His quasi-rebellious attitude was a response to the hostility of the regime towards the music that he loved.

Franko was heavily criticized for evoking Western modernism. For the 22-year-old artist Françesk Radi, a young man in love with music and once appreciated by hundreds of thousands of people, his musical creativity was brutally interrupted. Prosecuted by the dictatorial regime for introducing foreign modern trends into his music, he was expelled from the capital and sent for re-education 'among the working class' in the remote and small town of Fushë-Arrëz in Northern Albania, a village of woodcutters and miners.

The book brings to the public many stories that weave together multiple strands of events accounting for the fall of a talented artist during communism and his rise when democracy was restored. To the world history of music, this book adds testimony to the mistreatment that Albanian artists suffered under the communist dictatorship.

The book is written in three languages, English, German, and Albanian. The documents and photos presented here are obtained from family records as well as state archives. Some of them are published for the first time. What makes the book special is the transcripts of Franko's best musical creations, which represent Albanian pop music of the seventies.

Françesk Radi was a singer, songwriter, music composer, and multi-instrumentalist. In addition to double bass, he played guitar, piano, guitar-bass, mandolin, and a variety of two-string folk instruments. Franko left behind an enduring legacy of outstanding pop songs and arranged folk songs. His msical interpretations are part of the Golden Voices of Albania.