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Ragnar
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Ragnar was born on August 8. 1951 at Haldorsvik, a small Village in the north, by the sound separating the two biggest of the Faroe Islands. The eldest of five brothers and sisters, his father was a fisherman. Ragnar had a strong interest in music as a child and used to listen to the music coming from Radio Luxembourg. "The first songs I remember were "I saw the light" and "How can you refuse him" by Hank Williams. We also listened to Elvis, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Knox and Johnny Horton. Later The Beatles and Rolling Stones." he says. This latest album from Ragnar, was recorded at the South Pittsburg, Tennessee studios of multi-talented musician and producer Mike Headrick, for his Country Discovery label. Containing a very generous16 tracks, original material from Mike Headrick and one from Ragnar himself, sit very well alongside covers of some country music classics. The album gets off to a lively start with a very commendable cover of Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Man" before Ragnar gets us in sing-a-long mood with Jimmie Davis' "You Are My "Sunshine," a song that has been around for over 60 years now, and can always be relied upon to go down well with all types of audiences. The late Tommy Collins was a big favourite of mine, and Ragnar does a sterling job here, with the sensitive, "High On A Hilltop" as he does also with the Bobby Helms classic "Frauline." Label boss, Mike Headrick provides 5 of the original tracks on here, with favourite's being the lively shuffler "I'll Never Write This Song Again"…. previously recorded by Derrick Mehaffey…… and the equally lively, two stepper, "I'm Coming Up Zero Again," while Ragnar himself gets in the credits with "Memories," a tender waltz with a definite Irish feel about it. Ragnar has often sang the praises of the late Kitty Prins and I don't think he could have finished this album without including one of her composition's, in fact he includes two, "A Song Called Hope" and "In The Dust Of Dying Days," both tracks previously released to radio via the "Country Hotdisc." I enjoyed listening to this album from start to finish. It's an album Ragnar can feel justly proud of and there are a number of songs on here that are sure to find their way onto the Metro Country playlist. For information on how to get hold of a copy, you can e mail; ravik@post.olivant.fo or visit Ragnar's website at; http://www.ragnar-online.dk |
