Rune Larsen
Encyclopedia
Rune Larsen is a Norwegian journalist, singer, musician, record producer and television presenter.
He was born in Bergen
. He made his stage debut in 1957, and his television debut in 1964. By that time he had already played with two bands, The White Shirts and The Black Diamonds, and rejected a contract offer for a solo career. After appearing on television, however, he bumped into Philips Records
manager Per W. Kilde at a concert, and was promptly offered a solo contract. Larsen accepted, and released his first single with Teen Beats ("Cinderella/Y'arriva") in October of the same year (Philips
353.264 PF). Not long after, Larsen joined the group The Stringers. He succeeded Helge Nilsen, who soon rejoined.
Larsen started working as a journalist in Bergens Arbeiderblad in 1967. He came to refer to himself as a Christian socialist. He became involved in the YMCA
in 1968, and was a devout Christian
from 1969. He did not leave music as he founded a choir in Bergen named Gospel. In July in the same year he also married nurse Edle Tornes, born 1947. Gospel released LPs in 1970 and 1972. With the choir, Larsen made his deubt as a television presenter in 1970, in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation show Gospel synger gospels.
In 1972 Larsen formed the gospel group Frisk Luft
together with Kjell Fjalsett
, Ivar Skippervold
and Arnold Børud
. The group formed by coincidence in 1972, when Larsen and Børud, performing at Hedmarktoppen, spotted the already-known Fjalsett and Skippervold in the audience and invited them onto the stage. Frisk Luft released two LPs in the 1970s, and participated in a television show named Gospelkveld. It was said to be the first Christian
supergroup
in Norway. Larsen's third television show aired from 1975, and was Hele menigheten synger, a copy of the Swedish Hela kyrkan sjunger. Songs from the show were released on LP and sold well.
Larsen had left the journalist job to become secretary for the YMCA in Trondheim
from 1974. He held the same job in Bergen from 1976 to 1978 before returning to journalism, working in Bergens Tidende
from 1978 to 1981. He still performed sporadically, trying himself in the national Melodi Grand Prix
event with the song Robåtrock in 1977. In 1981 he founded the record company Noah. He also released the album Sweet Mints together with Helge Nilsen, under the name Helge & Rune. The album was produced by Trygve Thue of the band Saft. Several releases followed. In 1983 Larsen discovered later world-famous singer Sissel Kyrkjebø
via the television show Syng med oss presented by Nils Abrahamsen. Her first three records (Sissel, Glade jul, Soria Moria) were released on Noah. In 1984 Larsen discovered Karoline Krüger
.
Larsen presented the show Lollipop from 1989, together with Trygve Thue, Tor Endresen
and the backing band The Lollipops. The signature song was "Lollipop" by The Chordettes
, 1958, and the material was taken from that time. Three records were released following the show, and all sold well. Later shows during the 1990s were Scala, Casablanca (TV 2
, 1992), Noteknekk, Larsen spesial and Absolutt norsk, the latter co-hosting with Jan Eggum
. Another outing in Melodi Grand Prix came in 1993, when Larsen performed Det skulle vært sommer together with Helge Nilsen. In 1997 he released Nære ting with Tor Endresen. Also, Frisk Luft made a public comeback performing live in 1998, and released the record Lifetime Friends in 2000. In 2004 they followed with I'll Never Find Another You.
He was born in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
. He made his stage debut in 1957, and his television debut in 1964. By that time he had already played with two bands, The White Shirts and The Black Diamonds, and rejected a contract offer for a solo career. After appearing on television, however, he bumped into Philips Records
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
manager Per W. Kilde at a concert, and was promptly offered a solo contract. Larsen accepted, and released his first single with Teen Beats ("Cinderella/Y'arriva") in October of the same year (Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
353.264 PF). Not long after, Larsen joined the group The Stringers. He succeeded Helge Nilsen, who soon rejoined.
Larsen started working as a journalist in Bergens Arbeiderblad in 1967. He came to refer to himself as a Christian socialist. He became involved in the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
in 1968, and was a devout Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
from 1969. He did not leave music as he founded a choir in Bergen named Gospel. In July in the same year he also married nurse Edle Tornes, born 1947. Gospel released LPs in 1970 and 1972. With the choir, Larsen made his deubt as a television presenter in 1970, in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation show Gospel synger gospels.
In 1972 Larsen formed the gospel group Frisk Luft
Frisk Luft
Frisk Luft is a Norwegian gospel group.It was founded in 1972 as Frisk Luft . It consisted of Rune Larsen, Ivar Skippervold, Arnold Børud and Kjell Fjalsett, and since all are accomplished musicians outside of the group as well, Frisk Luft had been called the first Christian supergroup in...
together with Kjell Fjalsett
Kjell Fjalsett
Kjell Sigurd Fjalsett is a Norwegian singer and musician.He made a name for himself in the Norwegian gospel and Christian pop scene as a teenager in the choir Believe, covering the song "Oh Happy Day" among other things. He later formed the gospel group Frisk Luft together with Rune Larsen, Ivar...
, Ivar Skippervold
Ivar Skippervold
Ivar Skippervold is a Norwegian singer and musician.He hails from Oslo, but moved to Lillesand as an adult. He took up music at an early age, and his first self-made music was protest songs. He became Christian out of a "religious yearning", and his protest songs got a Christian tinge. His first...
and Arnold Børud
Arnold Børud
Arnold Børud is a Norwegian singer, musician and record producer.He grew up in Askim, and has been a devout Christian since the age of 18, when a friend invited him to a Christian camp. Only two years later, he had learned the guitar and piano, and released his first record as a part of the duo...
. The group formed by coincidence in 1972, when Larsen and Børud, performing at Hedmarktoppen, spotted the already-known Fjalsett and Skippervold in the audience and invited them onto the stage. Frisk Luft released two LPs in the 1970s, and participated in a television show named Gospelkveld. It was said to be the first Christian
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
in Norway. Larsen's third television show aired from 1975, and was Hele menigheten synger, a copy of the Swedish Hela kyrkan sjunger. Songs from the show were released on LP and sold well.
Larsen had left the journalist job to become secretary for the YMCA in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
from 1974. He held the same job in Bergen from 1976 to 1978 before returning to journalism, working in Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende is Norway's fourth largest newspaper and largest newspaper outside Oslo, with a circulation of about 87,000 copies . Founded in 1868, it is a Norwegian-language newspaper published daily in Bergen. It reaches approximately 260,000 readers every day , mainly in the counties of...
from 1978 to 1981. He still performed sporadically, trying himself in the national Melodi Grand Prix
Melodi Grand Prix
Melodi Grand Prix is an annual music competition organised by Norwegian public broadcaster Norsk Rikskringkasting . It determines the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, and has been staged almost every year since 1960.The festival has produced three Eurovision winners and...
event with the song Robåtrock in 1977. In 1981 he founded the record company Noah. He also released the album Sweet Mints together with Helge Nilsen, under the name Helge & Rune. The album was produced by Trygve Thue of the band Saft. Several releases followed. In 1983 Larsen discovered later world-famous singer Sissel Kyrkjebø
Sissel Kyrkjebø
Sissel Kyrkjebø , also simply known as Sissel, is a Norwegian soprano.Sissel is considered one of the world's top crossover sopranos. Sissel's musical style runs the gamut from pop recordings and folk songs, to classical vocals and operatic arias...
via the television show Syng med oss presented by Nils Abrahamsen. Her first three records (Sissel, Glade jul, Soria Moria) were released on Noah. In 1984 Larsen discovered Karoline Krüger
Karoline Krüger
Karoline Krüger is a Norwegian singer-songwriter and pianist. She was born on 13 February 1970 in Bergen and is today married to another familiar Norwegian singer, Sigvart Dagsland...
.
Larsen presented the show Lollipop from 1989, together with Trygve Thue, Tor Endresen
Tor Endresen
Tor Lars Oskar Endresen is a Norwegian singer and composer.He has entered the national Norwegian Eurovision Song Contest numerous times, but has only won it once, and represented Norway in the international final in 1997, where he came last with nul points.Endresen was part of a popular Norwegian...
and the backing band The Lollipops. The signature song was "Lollipop" by The Chordettes
The Chordettes
The Chordettes were a female popular singing quartet, usually singing a cappella, and specializing in traditional popular music. The Chordettes were one of the longest lived vocal groups with beginnings in the mainstream pop and vocal harmonies of the 1940s and early 1950s...
, 1958, and the material was taken from that time. Three records were released following the show, and all sold well. Later shows during the 1990s were Scala, Casablanca (TV 2
TV 2 (Norway)
TV 2 is the largest commercial television station in Norway. Over 30% of the time Norwegians spend watching TV is spent watching TV 2. The station has 65% of the market for TV commercials in Norway....
, 1992), Noteknekk, Larsen spesial and Absolutt norsk, the latter co-hosting with Jan Eggum
Jan Eggum
Jan Eggum is a Norwegian singer-songwriter who has been active since 1975. He is often characterised as a "face for the melancholy", and the themes in his songs are often broken hearts, loneliness and sorrow...
. Another outing in Melodi Grand Prix came in 1993, when Larsen performed Det skulle vært sommer together with Helge Nilsen. In 1997 he released Nære ting with Tor Endresen. Also, Frisk Luft made a public comeback performing live in 1998, and released the record Lifetime Friends in 2000. In 2004 they followed with I'll Never Find Another You.