Mats Ronander
Also known as: Malla
From Peps Persson's stand-in guitarist to ABBA's touring backing band — Mats "Malla" Ronander has spent five decades moving between blues, rock and pop, always anchored by his Elmore James-titled blues album "Himlen gråter för Elmore James."
Musical Influence
Ronander's career-long willingness to move between pure blues, rock and mainstream Swedish pop — including a stint touring with ABBA — makes him a useful case study in how deeply blues guitar technique fed into Swedish popular music more broadly. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
Influences
Formative experiences
- •Age 15: Joins Örebro band Crossway Blues. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •Early 1970s: Substitutes for Peps Persson in Peps & Blues Quality; band reforms as Nature. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •Tours and records with Ulf Lundell across three studio albums. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •Tours internationally as a backing musician for ABBA. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •1983: Produces Py Bäckman's breakthrough album "Sista föreställningen." (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •1992: Duet "Gör mig lycklig nu" with Kim Larsen and blues album "Himlen gråter för Elmore James." (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •2013: Co-founds Ravaillacz for Melodifestivalen with Tommy Körberg, Claes Malmberg and Johan Rabaeus. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •2020: Releases solo album "Malla Motell." (Kilde: Wikipedia)
Instruments & Equipment
Guitar
Core instrument across his entire career, from Crossway Blues to ABBA touring band.
Stories & Anecdotes
"Ronander occasionally filled in on guitar for Peps Persson in the early 1970s — a direct link between two artists on this site who each, in their own way, kept the blues alive in Swedish popular music. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
"His 1992 album title, "Himlen gråter för Elmore James" ("The Sky Weeps for Elmore James"), is a direct tribute to the American slide guitarist, making his blues loyalties explicit even in the middle of a mainstream pop career. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
"Beyond music, Ronander appeared on screen in the 1984 film adaptation of Ulf Lundell's novel "Sömnen," playing the character "Tommy Cosmo." (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
Collaborators
Occasionally substituted for him in Peps & Blues Quality.
Toured and recorded on three of his studio albums.
Formed Wellander & Ronander together.
Toured as a backing musician across Europe, North America and Japan.
Duet partner on "Gör mig lycklig nu" (1992).
Watch & Listen
Mats Ronander — 50/50
jonasjar
Watch & Listen
Discography
| Year | Title | Producer | Studio | Label | Chart | Sales | Musicians | YouTube | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Wellander & Ronander | — | — | Polar | — | — | Lasse Wellander (Guitar) | Duo album with guitarist Lasse Wellander. | |
| 1982 | God bok | — | — | — | — | — | — | Early solo album. | |
| 1984 | 50/50 | — | — | Polar | — | — | — | Solo album; contains "En hederlig man." | |
| 1985 | Kött & Blod | — | — | Polar | — | — | — | Solo album. | |
| 1992 | Himlen gråter för Elmore James | — | — | — | — | — | Kim Larsen (Duet vocals) | Blues-focused album, title a direct tribute to Elmore James; released alongside the hit duet "Gör mig lycklig nu" with Kim Larsen. | |
| 2020 | Malla Motell | — | — | — | — | — | — | Recent solo album, released under his nickname "Malla." |
Famous songs
Booking / Contact
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