Benny Andersson
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Göran Bror Benny Andersson (born in Stockholm on December 16, 1946) is a Swedish musician, composer and a member of the Swedish musical group, ABBA.
Benny was born to 34-year-old constructional engineer Göran Andersson and his 26-year-old wife Laila. His sister Eva-Lis Andersson followed in 1948.
Andersson's musical background came from his father and grandfather; both enjoyed playing the accordion. At the age of six Benny Andersson got an accordion of his own. Father Gösta and grandfather Efraim taught him Swedish folk music. When Andersson was ten he had one or two piano lessons. He left school at the age of fifteen and began to perform at youth clubs. This is when he met his first girlfriend Christina Grönvall. They never got married but did have two children: Peter in 1963 and Helen in 1965.
In 1964 Andersson became the keyboard player of the rock 'n roll group Hep Stars. In 1965 he started to write material for the band, such as the number one hit Sunny Girl.
In March 1969 Andersson met Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Björn Ulvaeus met Agnetha Fältskog two months later. Andersson was engaged to Lyngstad for about 9 years. They married in 1978 but got divorced in 1981. The personal relationships and Andersson's and Ulvaeus's composition has led quite naturally to the very close co-operation which the four friends have had during the previous two years.
One week after his divorce from Lyngstad in November 1981 Andersson married Swedish TV presenter Mona Nörklit. Their son, Ludvig, was born in January 1982. Ludvig has since followed in his father's footsteps in forming his own band, Ella Rouge.
After being a member of Hep Stars and later ABBA Andersson has created the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla (based on the Immigrant novels by Swedish writer Vilhelm Moberg) (currently in workshops for an English production on Broadway), and Mamma Mia! (based on existing ABBA songs), all of these together with Björn Ulvaeus.
Andersson performs folk music on the accordion together with Orsa Spelmän. Since the late nineties Andersson has mostly played with his band BAO; "Benny Anderssons Orkester" (Benny Andersson's orchestra/band) with Helen Sjöholm from Kristina from Duvemåla on vocals - with lyrics sometimes written by his song-writing partner and best-friend of 40 years, Björn Ulvaeus.
Together with Ulvaeus, Andersson was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in a category 'Outstanding Music' (for the musical Chess) and for a Tony Award in a category Best Orchestrations (for musical Mamma Mia!). Original Cast recordings of both musicals were nominated for a Grammy Award.[citation needed]
During his post-ABBA career Andersson won four Swedish Grammis Awards, and together with Ulvaeus received the Special International Ivor Novello Award from The British Academy of Composers and Songwriters , the Music Export Prize from the Swedish Government, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Swedish Music Publishers Association (SMFF). In 2002, Andersson was given an honorary professorship by the Swedish Government for his "ability to create high-class music reaching people around the world".
Contents |
[edit] Discography
[edit] ABBA
- Original albums
- Compilation and foreign language albums
- Greatest Hits
- Greatest Hits Vol. 2
- Gracias Por La Música
- The Singles: The First Ten Years
- ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits
- More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits
- Thank You For The Music
- ABBA Oro: Grandes Éxitos
- The Definitive Collection
- Number Ones
- The Complete Studio Recordings
[edit] Benny Anderssons Orkester
- Benny Anderssons Orkester (2001)
- BAO! (2004)
- BAO! på turné (BAO! on Tour) (2006)
[edit] Björn & Benny
- Lycka (1970)
