Bjarne Liller

Liller was born on Vesterbro, Copenhagen.[1] He got his breakthrough as a banjo player and singer in Papa Bue's Viking Jazz Band.[2]

He played with the Viking Jazz Band from 1956–70, and again from 1976-79, and made around 30 records with the band. He was also a successful solo artist, mainly in the pop music genre.[3] He worked with John Mogensen,[3] and got a gold record for selling 100,000 copies of his solo pop hit "Billet mrk./Ensom dame 40 år".[1]

He finished second at the 1979 Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, singing the duet "Alt er skønt" with Grethe Ingmann. Liller received a silver record for 25,000 copies sold of each of his two albums "Man kan ikke gøre for, at man har charme" (1975) and "Livet er skønt" (1976).[2]

He appeared in three Danish films; as a singer in "Thorvald og Linda" (1982), and in minor roles in Erik Clausen's films "Den store badedag" (1991) and "De frigjorte" (1993).[4]

Liller credited Kim Larsen and Erik Clausen for re-igniting his passion for music during the last years of his life.[2] He was active until his death in September 1993.[5][6]

A sold-out benefit concert was held by his former jazz colleagues at the Tivoli Gardens later that month.[7]