Allan Olsen (born 18 March 1956 in Grønholt,

Vendsyssel Vendsyssel () is the northernmost traditional district of Denmark and of Jutland. Being divided from mainland Jutland by the Limfjord, it is technically a part of the North Jutlandic Island which also comprises the areas Hanherred and Thy. Vendsy ...

) is a Danish folkrock musician and singer-songwriter. His famous live performances combine his songs with satirical and dryly-tempered anecdotes. The music is delivered either acoustically or with a rock band. From 1983 to 1992 he was part of

Dalton Dalton may refer to: Science * Dalton (crater), a lunar crater * Dalton (program), chemistry software * Dalton (unit) (Da), a.k.a. unified atomic mass unit * John Dalton, chemist, physicist and meteorologist * 12292 Dalton, an asteroid Ent ...

, a supergroup trio made of Olsen,

Lars Lilholt Lars Lilholt (born in Herlev, Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally ...

and

Johnny Madsen Johnny Madsen (31 March 1951 – 4 November 2024) was a Danish musician, songwriter and painter. In the period 1983 to 1992, he was part of Dalton, a supergroup trio made of Madsen, Lars Lilholt and Allan Olsen. Johnny Madsen lived on the isla ...

Career

Allan Olsen grew up enjoying the musical styles of

The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

and

The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray Davies, Ray and Dave Davies, and Pete Quaife. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British ...

a.m.. Olsen picked up a guitar himself in the seventies, and hit the road – initially as a low key performer, often playing in the outskirts of Denmark and with a style inspired by

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

Bert Jansch Herbert Jansch (3 November 1943 – 5 October 2011) was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle (band), Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s as an acoustic guitarist and ...

and

Randy Newman Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist, composer, conductor and orchestrator. He is known for his non-rhotic Southern American English, Southern-accented singing style, early America ...

. In 1989, the then 33-year-old performer signed his first record contract, with an obligation to record a minimum of three albums within the next five years. The debut album "Norlan" hits the style of British and American rock, combined with a lyrical talent for storytelling that sparsely used dialect (north

Jutlandic Jutlandic, or Jutish (Danish: ''jysk''; ), is the western variety of Danish, spoken on the peninsula of Jutland in Denmark. Generally, Jutlandic can be divided into two different dialects: general or Northern Jutlandic (; further divided into ...

). The album is a success. The following two albums and intense touring consolidate his name and a large loyal following, especially in

West Denmark West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...

. In the autumn of 1993 Allan Olsen spends time in Ireland in search of musicians to play with him on his next album. "Jern" (i.e. "Iron") is released in the spring of 1996 and receives ovations from the musical press and the album is rewarded with a Danish Grammy (later

Danish Music Award The Danish Music Awards (DMA) is a Danish award show. The show has been arranged by IFPI since 1989, and was originally called ''IFPI-prisen'' ("IFPI Award") until 1991, when it changed its name to ''Dansk Grammy'' ("Danish Grammy"). It was ch ...

). The album flavours Olsens folkrock style with Irish instruments as does 1998's "Sange for Rygere" (i.e. "Songs for Smokers"). Later albums have seen Olsen increasingly experimenting with musical styles and lyrical escapades – but also maintaining artistic focus and critical integrity and still beholding his original inspiration in Dylanesque storytelling – Jansch' poetic nerve and Newmans' wit and eccentricism. His album in 2007's ''Multo Importanto'' is a focused affair that has been praised by old as well as newer fans. In 2013 he released the album Jøwt, an album sung in dialect.

In band Dalton

He was also part of a Danish supergroup named

made up of Olsen in addition to

and Johnny Madsen. It was formed in 1983 but had to wait till 1992 for their first album. They reunited in 2005 to work on new materials and had a comeback in 2010 for a grand tour.

Discography

Albums

Solo Live albums In

*1992: ''Dalton'' *2009: ''Tyve Ti'' *2010: ''Var Her'' (Live 2 CDs +DVD) (with Johnny Madsen and Lars Lilholt)

DVDs

*2008: ''Allan Olsen & Band'' – Vol. 1 (also album CD) *2009: ''Solo live'' – Vol. 2, (also album CD)

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olsen, Allan 1956 births Living people Danish rock guitarists Danish rock singers Danish songwriters People from Frederikshavn Municipality Musicians from the North Jutland Region