[1][2] The citation for the award of Evert Taube Memorial Fund Grant 1994, to Cranner states: «Det är motiverat att anse honom som sin tids fader för den norska viskonsten» (It is motivated by the regard of him as the father of the Norwegian folk music genre).

The folk song Din tanke er fri, is Cranner translation of the German Die Gedanken sind frei.

[1][2] Alf Cranner was born in Oslo, and studied painting at Statens Kunst- og Håndverksskole (National Arts and Crafts School), where he also taught music and drawing until he retired in 1998.

Prøysen wrote several lyrics that Cranner put melody to, including Å, den som var en løvetann.

[1][2] This was in a time when a variety of other Nordic folk singers like Cornelis Vreeswijk, Alf Hambe and Birgitte Grimstad released their first LP recordings.

In the years to come up to 1970, many other Norwegian folk singers also debuted, including Lillebjørn Nilsen, Lars Klevstrand, Åse Kleveland, Finn Kalvik, Ole Paus and Øystein Sunde.

[1][2] Alf Cranner has also written music for theater including in collaboration with Klaus Hagerup, and to Romeo og Julie under the direction of Kjetil Bang-Hansen put up on Det Norske Teatret and to the films Jentespranget from 1972 and Faneflukt from 1973.