Ulf Lundell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ulf Lundell
Lundell on stage in Borgholm, Sweden in 2005
Background information
Birth name	Ulf Gerhard Lundell
Born	(1949-11-20) 20 November 1949 (age 75) Stockholm, Sweden
Genres	Rock
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter author poet screenwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar harmonica
Years active	1975–present
Labels	EMI Rockhead
Associated acts	Nature

Ulf Gerhard Lundell (born 20 November 1949) is a talented Swedish writer, poet, songwriter, composer, musician, and artist. He is known for his rock music and his many books.

Ulf Lundell started his music career in 1975 with his first album, Vargmåne. People quickly called him "Sweden's Bob Dylan" because of his songwriting style. In 1976, he also became a published author with his first novel, Jack.

He was inspired by famous musicians like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Neil Young. He also looked up to writers from the Beat Generation, like Jack Kerouac. Ulf Lundell is a very important person in Swedish rock music. He has influenced many other Swedish rock musicians.

One of his most famous songs is "Öppna landskap" (which means "Open landscapes") from 1982. This song became so popular that some people jokingly suggested it should be Sweden's new national anthem! Ulf Lundell has also been active as a visual artist since 1989.

Ulf Lundell's Early Life and Music

How Ulf Lundell Started

Ulf Lundell's father, Gerhard Lundell, worked as a blacksmith. His mother, Ingrid, worked as a school meal assistant and a seamstress. The family lived in Stockholm and later moved to Saltsjö-Boo, a place east of Stockholm, in 1958.

When Ulf was ten years old, he got his first guitar. His older sister, Inger, had a boyfriend who taught him his first guitar chords. Before becoming a full-time artist, Ulf Lundell worked many different jobs between 1967 and 1975, including being a postman. During these years, he spent his time writing songs and poems. He sent his work to different record labels and publishers.

First Steps in Music and Books

Ulf Lundell sent a demo recording to a music company called MNW, but they said his songs were "not strong enough." He tried again with Silence Records, but they also said no. Finally, in October 1974, he sent a demo to EMI, and they wanted to record an album with him!

In 1975, he released his first album, Vargmåne (which means Wolf Moon). The next year, 1976, his first novel, Jack, was published. This book helped him become very well-known. The story in Jack is about young people rebelling against a typical, quiet life. The book was very popular and sold 200,000 copies.

While his first book was being released, he was already working on his second album, Törst (Thirst). It came out just three months after Jack. He continued to write books, releasing two more during the 1970s. His live album, Natten hade varit mild och öm (The night was mild and tender), was made with a band called Nature.

In 1978, his third studio album, Nådens år (Year of Grace), came out. It included a special song called "Snön faller och vi med den" ("Snow Falls And We With It"), which was a duet with Agnetha Fältskog from ABBA. In 1979, Lundell released his fourth studio album, Ripp rapp. This album had a stronger rock sound than his earlier works.

Ulf Lundell's Career in the 1980s

In the fall of 1980, Ulf Lundell released the album Längre inåt landet, which was recorded in England. This album included popular songs like "Glad igen" ("Happy Again"). Two years later, in 1982, he released the album Kär och galen (In love and crazy). This album contained his most famous song, "Öppna landskap" ("Open landscapes").

Kär och galen made him one of the biggest artists in Sweden. It sold four times platinum, which means it sold a huge number of copies. Other popular songs from this album were the title track "Kär och galen" and "När jag kysser havet" ("When I kiss the sea").

Before releasing a new album after Kär och galen, Lundell released two other records. One was Sweethearts, where he sang English songs with Swedish lyrics. The other was 12 sånger, which was a completely acoustic album.

In 1985, Lundell released Den vassa eggen (The Sharp Edge). This album was highly praised by critics. In 1987, he released the book Tårpilen and the album Det ljuva livet (The Good Life). During this time, Ulf Lundell faced personal challenges. He later wrote about his journey and recovery in his autobiography, En varg söker sin flock (A Wolf in Search of his Pack), released in 1989.

In 1988, he released the album Evangeline. In 1989, he released Utanför murarna (Outside the Walls). He also started working as a visual artist in 1989, creating paintings and other art.

Ulf Lundell's Career from the 1990s to Today

Lundell signing En öppen vinter, Stockholm 2010.

It was not until 1992 that Ulf Lundell released a new book or album. That year, he published the novel Saknaden, which was the first part of a series of three books. In 1993, he released the album Måne över Haväng, which included songs like "Rött" and "Isabella." This was the first album that Lundell produced entirely by himself.

In 1994, he started his own company, Rockhead Studios AB. He also released the acoustic album Xavante [sv] that same year. Around this time, Lundell focused more on making music than on writing books.

In 1995, Ulf Lundell celebrated 20 years as an artist. The next year, he released a double album called På andra sidan drömmarna and a live album called Bosnia. During this period, his music showed more influence from Neil Young. This was especially clear with the album Fanzine (1999), which was recorded partly in a studio and partly live. In 1999, he released his first book in seven years, Friheten, which was the second part of the Saknaden series.

The album I ett vinterland (2000) became his second best-selling album. Two years later, he released the double album Club Zebra, which reached number one in Sweden in October 2002. He then released four more studio albums until 2005. These included the acoustic album En eld ikväll and a series of three albums: Ok Ok Baby, Högtryck, and Lazarus. The year 2005 was very busy for Lundell, with two albums and the novel Värmen, which was the final part of the Saknaden series. This was also the year he celebrated 30 years as an artist.

In the autumn of 2008, Lundell went on tour for the first time in over two years. He also released his first studio album in three years, called Omaha. He continued touring in 2009. In 2010, Lundell released a new book, En öppen vinter, which also came with a CD of 11 new songs.

In the summer of 2010, Lundell went on another tour. He broke the audience record for a Swedish artist at Gröna Lund, a famous amusement park, on July 30. More than 22,827 people attended his concert! Only Bob Marley and Lady Gaga have had more people at their concerts there. A concert tour planned for the spring of 2011 was canceled due to illness.

Ulf Lundell continues to release new music. His album Skisser came out in 2018, followed by Tranorna kommer in 2019. In 2020, he released Telegram, which reached number one in Sweden. His most recent album, Rött guld, was released in December 2023.

Ulf Lundell's Family Life

Ulf Lundell has been married twice. His first marriage was in 1977 to Barbro Zackrisson, and they separated in 1988. In 1989, he married Fredrika Stjärne, but they separated in 1991.

He has three children from his first marriage, including the journalist Sanna Lundell. He has one child from his second marriage. In the mid-1990s, he was dating the poet Isabella Nerman, and he even wrote a song about her called "Isabella." For a time in the 2000s, he lived with Ulrika Rickfors.

Ulf Lundell's Music Albums

Studio Albums

Live Albums

Compilation Albums