Lasse Wellander, longtime ABBA guitarist, has died at 70
A key contributor to Abba has died.
Lasse Wellander was the group's lead guitarist on some of their biggest hits in the 1970s and '80s, including "Knowing Me Knowing You," "Slipping Through My Fingers," and "Eagle."
The Abba band members — Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, and Björn Ulvaeus — released a statement on their Instagram page expressing their sorrow for the passing of Wellander, who played "an integral role in the Abba story." The statement also conveyed that Wellander's contribution will be remembered forever, and he will be greatly missed.
Born in 1952 in the small Swedish town of Skrekarhyttan, Wellander began playing the guitar after watching the Beatles perform on television in 1963.
Prior to joining Abba, Wellander played in a rock-blues band called Nature, which toured with Swedish singer-songwriter Ted Gärdestad. It was during this time that he met Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, the two male members of Abba.
Wellander played guitar on eight Abba studio albums and was a prominent performer in the group's live concerts. He first recorded with the group in 1974, playing guitar on "Intermezzo No.1" and "Crazy World."
Following Abba's breakup in the early 1980s, Wellander pursued a solo career, producing and recording his own music. But he maintained strong connections with Abba, contributing to the soundtracks of the two Mamma Mia! movie musicals, and also playing a part in Abba's comeback album, Voyage, released in 2021.
Wellander died Friday of cancer. He was 70 years old.
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Transcript
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
A key contributor to the pop group ABBA has died.
(SOUNDBITE OF ABBA SONG, "KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU")
MARTIN: Lasse Wellander was lead guitarist on some of ABBA's biggest hits in the 1970s and '80s.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Wellander played on most of ABBA's studio albums and was featured in the group's live concerts.
(SOUNDBITE OF ABBA SONG, "DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW")
FADEL: He was born in Sweden in 1952, and he was in several bands before first recording with ABBA in 1974.
(SOUNDBITE OF ABBA SONG, "INTERMEZZO NO. 1")
MARTIN: After ABBA split up in the early '80s, Wellander recorded and produced his own music.
(SOUNDBITE OF LASSE WELLANDER SONG, "FULL HAND")
FADEL: He performed on the soundtrack of the two "Mamma Mia!" movie musicals and contributed to ABBA's 2021 comeback album, "Voyage."
(SOUNDBITE OF ABBA SONG, "DON'T SHUT ME DOWN")
MARTIN: ABBA released a statement saying Wellander played, quote, "an integral role in the ABBA story. He will be deeply missed and never forgotten," unquote. Lasse Wellander died Friday of cancer. He was 70 years old.
(SOUNDBITE OF ABBA SONG, "SLIPPING THROUGH MY FINGERS") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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