Björn Afzelius

Björn Svante Afzelius (27 January 1947 – 16 February 1999) was a Swedish singer-songwriter and guitar player. He was an outspoken socialist, known for his support for Olof Palme. His songs are about love, politics and joys and sadness in life.

Björn Afzelius
Björn Afzelius, May 1994
Björn Afzelius, May 1994
Background information
Born(1947-01-27)27 January 1947
Huskvarna, Jönköping County, Sweden
Died16 February 1999(1999-02-16) (aged 52)
Gothenburg, Sweden
GenresRock, pop, progg
Occupation(s)singer-songwriter
Years active1970–1999
LabelsRebelle Records, MNW, Nackswing, Amalthea, Norske Gram, Transmission, Not On Label, CMC Entertainment, PolyGram, Plateselskapet, Diesel Music, Premium Publishing
Past membersHoola Bandoola Band
Websitebjornafzelius.com
Björn Afzelius grave at Västra kyrkogården in Gothenburg.

Career

Björn Svante Afzelius was born on 27 January 1947 in Huskvarna, Jönköping County. His father Svante Arnold Afzelius (1923–1976) was an engineer and his mother Ulla Afzelius (1926–1971) was a housewife. His only sibling is his brother Bengt (b. 1952) who is a music teacher. He came into contact with music from a very young age, because his mother and her side of the family were largely into music. In 1970, Afzelius formed the progg group Hoola Bandoola Band together with Mikael Wiehe. Wiehe and Afzelius became very close friends and worked together long after Hoola Bandoola had dissolved in 1975.

Afzelius released his first solo album in 1974, his last one in 1999. Some of his most popular songs are "Ikaros", "Tusen bitar" (Thousand pieces – which was originally recorded by Danish Anne Linnet as "Tusind Stykker"), "Sång till friheten" (Song for Freedom – which was originally recorded by Cuban Silvio Rodríguez as "El Día Feliz Que Está Llegando"), "Kungens man" (The king's man), "Tankar i Havanna" (Thoughts in Havanna) and "Till min kära" (For my dear). He died from lung cancer in 1999, 52 years old,[1] but he remains one of the most beloved artists in Scandinavia.

He wrote about 150 songs and sold over two-and-a-half million albums.

Death and legacy

Afzelius died on 16 February 1999 in Gothenburg.

The Björn Afzelius International Culture Foundation (BAIK) was set up in his honour. The foundation has in the past sponsored a prize known as the Freemuse Award, which recognises an individual or organisation that "has worked for freedom of musical expression in a remarkable way".[2] The award is given by Freemuse. Winners of the Freemuse Award include:

In 2021, the Freemuse Freedom of Artistic Expression Award was opened for nominations.[10][8]

Discography

With Hoola Bandoola Band
  • 1971: Garanterat individuell
  • 1972: Vem kan man lita på?
  • 1973: 'På väg
  • 1975: Fri Information
  • 1975: "Stoppa matchen" (single)

Solo albums
  • 1974: Vem är det som är rädd?
  • 1976: För kung och fosterland
  • 1978: Johnny Boy (with Björn Afzelius Band)
  • 1979: Bakom kulisserna (with Björn Afzelius Band)
  • 1979: Another Tale to Tell (with Björn Afzelius Band)
  • 1980: Globetrotter (with Globetrotters)
  • 1982: Innan tystnaden (with Globetrotters)
  • 1982: Danska nätter (live) (with Globetrotters)
  • 1984: Exil (with Globetrotters)
  • 1984: Afzelius; sång & gitarr (live)
  • 1985: Nio liv (with Globetrotters)
  • 1986: Grande Finale (live) (with Globetrotters)
  • 1986: Björn Afzelius & Mikael Wiehe (with Mikael Wiehe)
  • 1987: Riddarna kring runda bordet
  • 1988: Don Quixote
  • 1988: En man, en röst, en gitarr
  • 1990: Tusen bitar
  • 1991: Nidaros (live)
  • 1992: Afzelius, Bygren och Råstam (live)
  • 1994: Nära dig
  • 1997: Tankar vid 50
  • 1999: Elsinore
  • 2004: Björn Afzelius & Mikael Wiehe 1993 – Malmöinspelningarna (with Mikael Wiehe)
  • 2011: Tusen bitar – Sånger om kärlek & rättvisa

Compilations
  • 1988: Björn Afzelius Bästa Vol I
  • 1988: Björn Afzelius Bästa Vol II
  • 1995: Björn Afzelius Bästa Vol III
  • 1995: Afzelius Box (Bästa Vol 1, 2, 3)
  • 1998: Den röda tråden – Definitivt
  • 2002: Den röda tråden Vol 1
  • 2002: Den röda tråden Vol 2
  • 2005: Björn Afzelius Bästa
  • 2006: Guldkorn vol.1

References
  1. "Björn Afzelius – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  2. "Freemuse Award winner: 'Festival in the Desert' in Mali". Mimeta (in Norwegian). 6 February 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  3. Funkeson, Kristina (9 March 2008). "Freemuse: Freemuse Award to Tiken Jah Fakoly". Freemuse. Archived from the original on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  4. Moss, Mark D. (6 March 2008). "Exiled Reggae Singer Awarded Freemuse Award". Sing Out!. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  5. "Ramy Essam Receives Freemuse Award 2011". World Music Network. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  6. Moss, Mark D. (26 March 2010). "Freemuse Award Winners 2010". Sing Out!. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  7. "Festival in the Desert Wins Freemuse Award". Afropop Worldwide. 11 February 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  8. "CADAL nominates the Movimiento San Isidro for the Freemuse Award for Freedom of Artistic Expression 2021". CADAL (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  9. "Freemuse". Artists at Risk Connection (ARC). 14 July 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  10. "Freemuse Freedom of Artistic Expression Award 2021 - call for nominations". ASEF culture360. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
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