Lasse Wellander, the long-time guitarist for Swedish pop legends ABBA, has passed away after a short battle with cancer. The news was announced by his family on Sunday, with ABBA paying tribute to a “dear friend, a fun guy and a superb guitarist.”
Wellander was born in 1952 and did his first session with ABBA in October 1974, working on songs like “Intermezzo No.1” and “Crazy World”. He went on to become the main guitarist on the group’s albums and toured with them in 1975, 1977, 1979 and 1980.
After ABBA went their separate ways in 1982, Wellander continued to work with Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. He played on several albums, including the “Chess” concept album, two “Gemini” albums, and the soundtracks for the films “Mamma Mia” and “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”, as well as the ABBA album “Voyage”, which was released in November 2021.
Wellander also played with several groups during the 80s, including Low Budget Blues Band, Zkiffz, Little Mike and the Sweet Soul Music Band, and Stockholm All Stars. He released seven studio albums of his own, two of which made the Top 40 album charts.
ABBA’s long-term guitarist Lasse Wellander has died after a short battle with cancer, his family announced.
In 2005, Wellander received the Albin Hagström Memorial Award from The Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Thirteen years later, he was awarded the Swedish Musicians Union’s prestigious special prize Studioräven Award for his work as a session musician.
ABBA described Wellander’s talent as “immense” and remembered his “creative input in the recording studio as well as his rock-solid guitar work on stage.” They mourned his “tragic and premature death” and paid tribute to his “kind words, sense of humor, smiling face, and musical brilliance”.
Wellander’s family posted a statement on his Facebook page, describing him as an “amazing musician” who was “humble as few”. They remembered him as a “wonderful husband, father, brother, uncle, and grandfather” who was “kind, safe, caring and loving”.
Wellander’s passing has been met with an outpouring of grief and tributes from fans and fellow musicians alike. His contributions to the music industry will be deeply missed, but his legacy will live on through the music he helped to create.
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