ABBA guitarist Lasse Wellander passes away aged 70 after battling cancer

After a short battle with cancer, Lasse Wellander, the long-time guitarist with the legendary Swedish group ABBA, passed away aged 70.

It was revealed today, Sunday, April 9, that Lasse Wellander, the guitarist and composer who played on some of ABBA’s biggest hit songs, passed away last Friday 7, at the age of 70. He performed not only on their hits but also during the 1970s and 80s, he was was an integral part of the Swedish band’s huge concert tours.

“It is with indescribable sadness that we have to announce that our beloved Lasse has fallen asleep. Lasse recently fell ill with what turned out to be cancer that had spread, and early on Good Friday he passed away surrounded by his loved ones”, Lasse’s family members Lena, Ludvig and Andréas, wrote in a statement paying tribute to him.

“You were a fantastic musician and humble like few, but above all, you were a wonderful husband, brother, grandmother, and grandfather”, they continued, as reported by aftonbladet.se.

When ABBA took to the road for a series of sellout concerts across the world in 1975, 1977, 1979 and 1980, Lasse appeared on stage nightly with the legendary members, Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, and Björn Ulvaeus.

Lasse featured on no less than 24 of the group’s studio recordings as well as every one of their eight albums. He was also involved with the 2021 album ‘Voyager’.

After ABBA went their own separate ways, Lasse continued performing with various Swedish bands. In 1981 he released his self-titled debut solo album which he followed up over the years with 11 more up until 2006, all also produced by Lasse. The versatile musician also turned his hand to composing tunes for several television shows and films.

In 2010 he was the recipient of the Litteris et Artibus, a prestigious Swedish Royal Medal which added to numerous other awards that Lasse picked up during his musical career. Induction into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame, along with the other ABBA members, occurred in 2014.

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