Lasse Wellander

{{Short description|Swedish guitarist for ABBA (1952–2023)}}

{{Expand Swedish|topic=bio|Lasse Wellander}}

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Lars-Ove "Lasse" Wellander (18 June 1952 – 7 April 2023) was a Swedish guitarist, best known for his association with ABBA.{{cite news |last=Sinmaz |first=Emine |date=10 April 2023 |title=Abba pay tribute as guitarist Lasse Wellander dies aged 70 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/10/abba-guitarist-lasse-wellander-dies |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410171910/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/10/abba-guitarist-lasse-wellander-dies |archive-date=10 April 2023 |department=Journal |website=The Guardian |location=London |page=16 |access-date=11 April 2023}} (Titles of print and online versions differ).{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Thania |date=10 April 2023 |title=Lasse Wellander, ABBA's Longtime Guitarist, Dies at 70 |url=https://variety.com/2023/music/obituaries-people-news/lasse-wellander-dead-abba-guitarist-1235578435/ |access-date=11 April 2023 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=11 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411211019/https://variety.com/2023/music/obituaries-people-news/lasse-wellander-dead-abba-guitarist-1235578435/ |url-status=live }} He first recorded with the group's backing band in 1974, and played on all their studio albums from ABBA (1975) to Voyage (2021).{{cite web |author= |date=11 April 2023 |title=Lasse Wellander: Abba pay tribute to guitarist's 'musical brilliance' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65232127 |website=BBC News |location=London |access-date=12 April 2023}}{{cite web |author= |date=18 April 2023 |title=Lasse Wellander, Abba guitarist who played on such hits as Voulez-Vous and on the Mamma Mia! soundtrack – obituary |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2023/04/18/lasse-wellander-obituary-abba-guitarist-mamma-mia-voyage/ |url-access=subscription |website=The Telegraph |location=London |access-date=12 May 2024}}

Wellander came from the village of {{ill|Skrikarhyttan|sv}}. His musical career began at the age of 16 when he joined {{ill|Blues Quality|lt=Peps & Blues Quality|sv|Blues Quality#Peps & Blues Quality}}, which without leader Peps Persson later became {{ill|Nature (Swedish group)|lt=Nature|sv|Nature (musikgrupp)}}. Subsequently, they were asked to become a backing band for Ted Gärdestad, who introduced Wellander to Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson.{{cite web |author= |date=11 April 2023 |orig-date=9 April 2023 |title=ABBA-gitarristen Lasse Wellander död |trans-title=ABBA guitarist Lasse Wellander dead |language=sv |url=https://www.svt.se/kultur/abba-gitarristen-lasse-wellander-dod |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414104826/https://www.svt.se/kultur/abba-gitarristen-lasse-wellander-dod |archive-date=14 April 2023 |website=SVT |location=Stockholm |access-date=12 May 2024}}{{cite magazine |last=Marten |first=Neville |date=February 2022 |title=Knowing Me: ABBA's Lasse Wellander |magazine=Guitarist |issue=481 |pages=50–54 |issn=0953-7023}}

Speaking after the Wellander's death, the members of ABBA commented: "The importance of his creative input in the recording studio as well as his rock solid guitar work on stage was immense".{{cite web |author= |date=10 April 2023 |title=Abba: Vi minns Wellanders briljans och leende |trans-title=Abba: We remember Wellander's brilliance and smile |language=sv |url=https://www.na.se/2023-04-10/abba-vi-minns-wellanders-briljans-och-leende/ |url-access=subscription |website=Nerikes Allehanda |location=Örebro |issn=1103-971X |access-date=12 May 2024}}{{cite news |last=Saad |first=Nardine |date=16 April 2023 |title=Lasse Wellander, guitarist who played 'integal role in the ABBA story', dies at 70 |department=In Depth |newspaper=Miami Herald |volume=120 |issue=214 |page=3C}}