Kalle Moraeus

Kalle Moraeus, a Swedish multi-instrumentalist specializing in folk traditions, maintains ties to both Orsa Spelmän and Benny Andersson's Orkester while earning the Karamelodiktstipendiet prize in 2006; his 2010 release Underbart entered the Top Ten of the Swedish albums chart. Born July 15, 1963, in Orsa, Dalarnas län, Sweden, he performs on guitar, violin, zither, banjo, bouzouki, and additional stringed instruments. The folk music sextet Orsa Spelmän, established in 1987 by former ABBA member Benny Andersson, issued the recordings Orsa Spelmän (1988), Fiolen Min (1990), Ödra (1998), and Orsa Nästa! (2006). Benny Andersson's Orkester, likewise launched by Andersson, produced the albums Benny Andersson's Orkester (2001), BAO! (2004), BAO! på Turné (2006), BAO 3 (2007), and Story of a Heart (2009). Moraeus launched his solo recording career with an eponymous album in 1991 that includes appearances by Andersson, Ted Gärdestad, and Ale Möller alongside other leading Swedish musicians. Two decades afterward he returned to the Swedish Top Ten via the solo album Underbart (2010), whose commercial impact stemmed largely from the Top 20 single “Underbart” that Moraeus and Orsa Spelmän presented at Melodifestivalen 2010. The Povel Ramel-awarded Karamelodiktstipendiet prize reached him in 2006. Outside solo work he partnered with Bengan Janson as the duo Kalle & Bengan, yielding Live in Köttsjön (2001) and Julens Bästa Vänner (2005), and joined Hej Kalle for the project Bitå (2003).