Profession: Singer-Songwriter
Biography: Björn Ulvaeus began his music career as a member of a folk and schlager group called the Hootenany Singers. After meeting keyboardist Benny Andersson, he began co-writing songs that Andersson's band recorded.
He met and married singer Agnetha Fältskog in 1971, and the trio then recruited Anni-Frid Lyngstad to form ABBA in 1972. The group rose to worldwide acclaim, topping the charts for 10 years. Among their biggest hits were the tunes: "Waterloo"; "SOS"; "Fernando"; and "Dancing Queen". Bjorn and Agnetha divorced in 1980, and the group went on hiatus for 40 years.
A greatest hits album, "ABBA Gold" released in 1992 revived interest in the group, leading Ulvaeus to produce the stage musical "Mamma Mia!". The success of the play led to two films.
In 2021, ABBA group re-united to release the album "Voyage" and then had a specially built arena made in London for a virtual concert residency, using digital avatars of the singers and a live band, beginning in the Spring of 2022.
Born: April 25, 1945
Birthplace: Gothenburg, Sweden
Age: 79 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Rooster
Star Sign: Taurus
Married Life
- 1971-07-06 Swedish pop singer-songwriter Bjorn Ulvaeus (26) weds fellow Swedish singer-songwriter Agnetha Faltskog (21), prior to forming half of ABBA; divorce in 1980
Historical Events
- 1974-04-06 19th Eurovision Song Contest: ABBA for Sweden wins singing "Waterloo" in Brighton, England
- 1974-11-16 ABBA begin their first tour of Europe - their first tour outside of Sweden
- 1977-02-27 Swedish pop group ABBA arrives in Australia for the first time, sparking "ABBA-mania"
- 1985-05-18 Murray Head's "One Night In Bangkok" single (written by Tim Rice, and Abba's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus) hits #3 in US
- 1988-04-28 Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Tim Rice's musical "Chess" opens at Imperial Theater, NYC; runs for 68 performances
- 1988-06-25 Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Tim Rice's musical "Chess" closes at Imperial Theater, NYC, after 68 performances
- 1999-04-06 Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus' musical "Mamma Mia!", featuring the songs of ABBA, opens at the Prince Edward Theatre in London's West End; transfers twice to other venues; run interrupted by COVID-19 in March of 2020
- 2001-10-18 Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus' musical "Mamma Mia!", featuring the songs of ABBA, opens at The WInter Garden Theatre, NYC, later transferring to The Broadhurst; runs for 5,733 performances
- 2008-06-30 "Mamma Mia!, The Movie!" starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, premieres at Leicester Square, London
- 2010-03-15 25th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: ABBA; Genesis; Jimmy Cliff; The Hollies; The Stooges; David Geffen; Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil; Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry; Jesse Stone; Mort Shuman; and Otis Blackwell
- 2015-09-15 Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus' musical "Mamma Mia!", featuring the songs of ABBA, closes at The Broadhurst Theatre, NYC, after 5,733 performances
- 2018-04-27 Swedish band ABBA announce they have recorded new songs for the first time since 1982
- 2018-07-16 Musical film sequel "Mamma Mia! - Here We Go Again" premieres at Hammersmith-Apollo, London; worldwide box office receipts total over $400 million
- 2018-09-28 Warner Bros. Records releases American singer Cher's 26th solo studio album "Dancing Queen"; album contains cover versions of 11 songs of Swedish pop group ABBA, and lands in top 10 of charts in 19 countries
- 2021-08-25 Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus' musical "Mamma Mia!", featuring the songs of ABBA, re-opens at the Novello Theatre in London's West End, after COVID-19 interruption stopped performances in March of 2020
- 2021-11-12 "Voyage", Abba's first album of new material in 40 years, tops the UK album chart
- 2022-05-26 Premiere of "Abba Voyage", a virtual concert with computer generated images of the Swedish pop band and live musicians at the specially built 3,000 seat Abba Arena in London, England; all four members, as well as the king and queen of Sweden attend
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