Who was Lasse Wellander? ABBA’s long-serving guitarist dies at 70

Lasse Wellander was a long-serving guitarist for the popular Swedish band ABBA. He was reported dead by his family on April 9, 2023. According to them, he died due to complications from cancer. He was 70 years old.

“You were an amazing musician and humble as few, but above all, you were a wonderful husband, father, brother, uncle, and grandfather. Kind, safe, caring, and loving… and so much more, that cannot be described in words. A hub in our lives, and it’s unbelievable that we now have to live on without you,” his family shared.

He joined ABBA in 1975 as a guitarist and helped the group achieve several hit songs including Voulez Vous, Take A Chance On Me, and Knowing Me, Knowing You. 

In 2001, he performed on the group’s comeback record Voyage and also helped developed the soundtrack to the film version of the musical Mamma Mia.

“Lasse was a dear friend, a fun guy, and a superb guitarist. The importance of his creative input in the recording studio as his rock solid guitar work on stage was immense. We mourn his tragic and premature death and remember the kind words, the sense of humor, the smiling face, and the musical brilliance of the man who played such an integral role in the Abba story. He will be deeply missed and never forgotten,” ABBA said in a statement.