The musician to whom we owe some of the greatest hits of the Swedish group such as Do you want, Take A Chance On Me et Knowing Me, Knowing You died of cancer, according to his relatives.
The members of the group ABBA paid tribute to their guitarist, Lasse Wellander, who died this weekend at the age of 70. In a statement, posted on social media, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad hailed a “very dear friend, a fun man and a superb guitarist”.
“His creativity in the recording studio and his exceptional work as a guitarist on stage were considerable,” the Swedish group wrote in its press release.
And to add: “We mourn his tragic and untimely death and we remember the sense of humor, the smiling face and the musical genius of the one who played a vital role in the history of ABBA.”
According to his family, the musician died on April 7 from cancer.
Major role in the band’s career
Although not yet part of ABBA when it was formed, Lasse Wellander joined the band in 1975. The guitarist contributed melodies to some of ABBA’s greatest hits such as Do You Want To, Take A Chance On Me et Knowing Me, Knowing You.
The musician is also present on VoyageABBA’s ninth and final studio album released in 2021, and worked on the soundtrack for the film Mamma Mia!, a film adaptation of the eponymous musical inspired by the songs of the Swedish group.
Lasse Wellander has also distinguished himself as a soloist. His latest album, Simple Ticketwas released in 2006.
