Rutger Gunnarsson

Swedish bass player, guitarist, arranger, and producer. Born on 12 February 1946 in Linköping - Died on 30 April 2015 in Stockholm. Studied at Royal College of Music in Stockholm, when he auditioned for the Hootenanny Singers, in which he was to meet and eventually team up with Björn Ulvaeus. Consequently, he is to be found on almost every ABBA record as bass player or arranger. Also toured extensively with them until the act's final demise in 1986. From that time on, he worked with the likes of Céline Dion, Elton John, Westlife, and Gwen Stefani, as well as contributing to a string of musicals including: Mamma Mia!, Les Misérables, and Chess. In 1997, he conducted Russia's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, "Примадонна = Diva Prima Donna = Primadonna" by Alla Pugacheva. Father of Rickard Gunnarsson.