Knut Reiersrud
The Oslo-born guitarist who has never used a plectrum, whose ~6,000 concerts and Chicago blues collaborations with Buddy Guy and Otis Rush made him Norway's most internationally recognized blues musician, and whose Spellemannspris-winning partnership with organist Iver Kleive fused blues guitar with Norwegian hymnody. In 2025 he released Remembrance with In The Country and Solveig Slettahjell, and on 25 September 2026 a new album with Geir Sundstøl, Purcell, Truth, Lies and Bad Memory, is due out.
Musical Influence
Reiersrud built the bridge Norwegian blues needed between the American source tradition and Norwegian sacred/folk material, proving through decades of Spellemannspris-winning work that the two idioms could coexist on the same fretboard without diluting either (Kilde: Wikipedia; Norsk Bluesunion).
Influences
Formative experiences
- •c. 1971: Begins playing conga, piano and guitar around age 10, inspired by seeing Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters on television. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •1979: Travels to Chicago and plays/records with Buddy Guy and Otis Rush. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •1980: Debut album with Hartvik & The Heartbreakers, age 19. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •1991: Wins his first Spellemannspris (open class) with organist Iver Kleive for "Blå koral." (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •1995: Wins the Notodden Blues Festival Prize. (Kilde: Notodden Blues Festival)
- •2025: Receives the Anders Jahre Culture Prize. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
Instruments & Equipment
Guitar
His signature technique across a 40+ year career and roughly 6,000 concerts.
Other
Took up alongside guitar from around age 10.
Stories & Anecdotes
"Reiersrud has never used a plectrum in his career, a technique choice as central to his identity as any specific guitar he's played. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
"His decision to pursue blues seriously traces to a single formative moment: watching Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters perform on television as a child. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
"A 1979 trip to Chicago to play and record with Buddy Guy and Otis Rush directly shaped his "Chicago Blues Meeting" recording projects years later. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
"He has contributed to an estimated 300 recordings across genres and performed roughly 6,000 concerts over his career. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
Collaborators
Organist; long-running duo blending blues guitar with Norwegian hymnody, multiple Spellemannspris wins.
American soul-blues singer; two collaborative albums, 2011 and 2015.
Played and recorded together in Chicago from 1979 onward.
Played and recorded together in Chicago from 1979 onward.
Watch & Listen
Discography
| Year | Title | Producer | Studio | Label | Chart | Sales | Musicians | YouTube | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Debut album (with Hartvik & The Heartbreakers) | — | — | — | — | — | — | His recording debut at age 19. | |
| 1983 | Chicago Blues Meeting | — | — | — | — | — | Buddy Guy (Guitar), Otis Rush (Guitar) | First recording project bringing American Chicago blues musicians together with Norwegian players, following his 1979 Chicago trip. | |
| 1988 | Chicago Blues Meeting II | — | — | — | — | — | — | Second installment of the Chicago Blues Meeting project. | |
| 1991 | Blå koral (with Iver Kleive) | — | — | — | — | — | Iver Kleive (Organ) | Won Spellemannsprisen, open class; began his long-running collaboration with organist Iver Kleive. | |
| 2011 | One Drop Is Plenty (with Mighty Sam McClain) | — | — | — | — | — | Mighty Sam McClain (Vocals) | First of two collaborative albums with the American soul-blues singer. | |
| 2015 | Tears of the World (with Mighty Sam McClain) | — | — | — | — | — | Mighty Sam McClain (Vocals) | Second collaborative album with McClain; won Spellemannsprisen in the blues category. |
Famous songs
External links
Booking / Contact
Are you the artist, or do you represent the band or booking agency? We want the booking information here to always be accurate and current. Please send us the correct details via our contact form, and we'll update the profile as soon as possible. Go to the contact form