Vikingarna (band)
In 1963, they recorded a cover of country standard "The Tennessee Waltz", selling 20,000 copies locally but falling short of any real success.
With a final set of changes in 1973, the band consisted of Jörgen Arnemar (guitar), Börje Gunnarson (bass guitar), Per-Anders Carlsson (drums), Tord Sjöman (piano, organ, vocals), Tony Eriksson (saxophone and keyboards), Christer Linde (trumpet) and, completing the line-up, lead singer Stefan Borsch, who had joined the year before.
Returning to recording, their big break-through came the following year, with "Du gav bara löften", their second major hit single, and first number one.
In the years after, the band continued recording and releasing new albums, spawning several hits throughout the seventies, while at the same time doing very successful tours throughout Sweden and Scandinavia.
Later that year, just as the band was finishing yet another tour following their latest album, Kramgoa Låtar 6, lead singer Stefan Borsch announced his departure to focus on a solo career.
The band soon recorded and released their ninth album, Kramgoa Låtar 7, including a Swedish cover of "Dschingis Khan", the West German entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979.
Already established in Norway and some parts of Denmark, the band soon expanded their tours to include all of Scandinavia, quickly becoming the most popular and best selling dansband ever.
[citation needed] In 1988, bass guitarist Lars-Åke "Svante" Svantesson stopped touring and performing after suffering from a spinal disc herniation that impaired his ability to play.
The band then continued touring and recording for several more years, releasing new albums on a semi-yearly basis, while playing to sold-out crowds throughout Scandinavia.
In late 2003, Klas Anderhaal left the band to resume his career as a studio musician, and was replaced by drummer Johan Norgren, known for his unusual habit of playing barefooted.
[9] Not long after, on 30 January 2004, the band's guitarist Lasse Westmann died suddenly, only a few weeks after being given a clean bill of health after a lengthy battle with cancer.
In June 2004, the band appeared on Swedish hit television show Allsång på Skansen, in what would be one of the most viewed episodes in the series' history.
The band played their final concert in their founding town of Arvika on 3 July 2004, in front of more than 7,000 people, breaking the record for most attendants at the site, with both Christer Sjögren and Stefan Borsch appearing.
A documentary-concert film titled Kramgött från början till slut was released at the same time, featuring old clips and historical interviews, mixed with recent live footage.
On 18 March 2011, lead singer Christer Sjögren announced to Swedish and Norwegian news that the band were planning a comeback tour, with the first concert scheduled for 7 July at Ekebofestivalen in Sweden.
[10] The other former members of the band has since retired, but saxophonist Tony Eriksson stated in a 2012 interview that he "would love to return to Vikingarna, if the time and place is right", fueling rumours of a pending comeback tour, marking the 40th anniversary of the group's first album release.
Later in the year, it was revealed that the band would be reformed as Nya Vikingarna (the New Vikings), with three of the members of the former line-up, Kenneth Wahlberg taking over as the vocalist, and Sjögren making occasional guest appearances.
