Ragnar Bjarnason
Raggi Bjarna | |
|---|---|
July 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ragnar Bjarnason |
| Also known as | Raggi Bjarna |
| Born | 22 September 1934 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Died | 25 February 2020 (aged 85) at Landspítali, Kópavogur, Iceland |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1947–2020 |
| Formerly of | Hljómsveit Ragnars Bjarnasonar Hljómsveit Svavars Gests Sumargleðin |
| Spouse | Helle Birthe Bjarnason |
Ragnar Bjarnason, also known as Raggi Bjarna, (22 September 1934 – 25 February 2020) was an Icelandic singer. He was born in a small attic apartment at Lækjargata 12a in Reykjavík. He is the son of Bjarni Böðvarsson, a conductor of a renowned orchestra and Lára Magnúsdóttir a famous singer and also long-time singer in a church choir.
Ragnar started as a drummer in his father's band at the age of 13. At 16 he sang with Sigurður Ólafsson and by the age of 20 had his own albums. In 1955–1956, he became vocalist of Hljómsveit Svavars Gests (a relation that would go on until 1960) and in 1956, became a singer with KK sextet that continued until 1959. At the time, he released albums of his own.
After spending few years abroad, he returned in 1964. He rejoined Svavar briefly, before forming his own band in 1965 when Svavar's orchestra stopped performing. The band played for 19 consecutive years at Hótel Saga. In 1972, he also founded Sumargleðin that toured the country and gained great national fame.
Ragnar died on February 25, 2020.