To whom it may concern
“Composer, arranger and singer Johann G Johannsson is one of the pioneers in Icelandic popular music. He started at a young age in bands and very quickly writing his own music. I have been in the recording business now for 35 years and I am still putting out 2 - 3 albums per year. I have always been an admirer of Johan´s work and particularly of his catchy melodies. I have recorded quite a few written by Johann and I am happy to say most of them have been big hits..and still are. The biggest hit is without a doubt the song “ Eina Osk” or One Wish” recorded in Iceland and London 1979.
I am happy to say that Johann is still putting together
good songs and certainly has not lost his midas touch.”
Sincerely
Bjorgvin Halldorsson
BO HALLDORSSON
Singer/Songwriter
Bo Halldorsson is a renowned person in Iceland, not only for his singing, but more as an enterprising individual within the musical industry. His reputation goes back to the late sixties when, at the age of 18, he received the Icelandic Pop trophy. Soon after that he was offered his first recording contract and made his first single, which became an instant hit, securing his status as a performing artist. This was only the beginning. Since then he has recorded well over five hundred songs, received 30 gold records and won several awards during his successful career. In 1994 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Icelandic Music Awards Show for his contribution to the Icelandic music scene.
Bo Halldorsson has lead several bands, been featured in numerous stage shows, theatre, and live performances, had more radio airplay than any other living Icelandic recording artist, made and produced noteworthy
television specials, produced over 100 albums, composed hit songs and managed the Syrland recording studio in Iceland. Worked as the Senior Program Director for The Icelandic Broadcasting Corporation, that broadcasts 4 television channels as well as transmits all the major satellite stations. The also own 6 radio stations
For whom it may concern:
Jóhann G. Jóhannsson is without doubt one of the most successful and influential songwriters in the complete history of Icelandic popular music.
His soulful and distinguished songwriting has secured him a status unlikely to be matched by anyone for years to come.
Iceland´s most celebrated international groups and artists have without doubt been heavily influenced by this outstanding man and his music.
By his number-one hits, he has by far outnumbered any of the artists Iceland has bred to date, and his songs are constantly being played on the radio, in both new and original versions.
Most importantly however, his songs keep coming and they´re getting better and better!
Jakob F. Magnusson
Jakob Frímann Magnusson
Curriculum Vitae
Jakob Frímann Magnússon, a.k.a. JFM is the founder and leader of Iceland´s top selling group STUĐMENN. He was the first Icelandic recording artist to secure a major international record deal in 1979 with Warner Brthers in the USA , and later Affinity and Capitol Records. His albums have featured the likes of Phil Collins, Stanley Clarke, Freddie Hubbard, Tom Scott and a host of international artists. His latest outing, Made in Reykjavik, nominated for the Icelandic Music Awards, was co-produced by Madonna sideman and percussion maestro Steve Sidelnyk and features the cream of the European crop of jazz musicians. He is signed as a solo artist to JVC VIctor in Asia and to BMG as a member of Stuðmenn in Europe and the States. JFM has produced a considerable number of films as well as albums, including the record breaking musical comedy On Top and the HBO production Nickel Mountain. He served as the Cultural Attaché of the Icelandic Embassy in London between 1991 and 1995 and is currently producing a new feature film, Perfect Harmony, as well as running his own record company, Reykjavik Records.
Johann G. Johannson is one of Iceland’s most prolific songwriters and his diverse music catalogue is a well kept secret, globally. Johann´s compositions are obviously widely know in Iceland and although his main strength is writing great pop and R&B music his repertoire consists of music in almost all genres such as rock and even country. I was so lucky to have a change to get to know Johann personally and his very creative and a good persons to work with.
Stefan Hjorleifsson,
Owner and CEO, Tonlist.com
Stefan is a musician and composer and holds an MBA degree. He has been managing a Record Label, Post-Production Company and has currently established a Web portal where the works of almost every recording artist in Icelandic music history can be accessed digitally.
Johann G. Johannsson has remained Iceland´s most prolific and successful songwriter for over three decades. His songs have been recorded by many of the countries most successful recording artists and become evergreens in the field of Icelandic pop music. The lack of publishing companies and activity has been an obstacle for his music to travel to international markets. It´s only a matter of time until the word (and songs) gets out.
Steinar Berg Isleifsson
Steinar Berg Isleifsson has been a leading figure of Icelandic music business and exploiting local talent´s internationally for many years as owner of local record companies and licensee for international Major´s such as Sony Music and Warner Music.
The singer and songwriter Johann G. Johannsson influenced a generation of musicians with his inspiring approach towards writing his own music and lyrics when he started out in the seventies. Johann's music reflects the passionate and personal expression that he puts into his songs. As a composer he is one of Iceland's best-kept secrets and it is only a matter of time before the rest of the world discovers his talent.
Jonatan Gardarsson
(A television and radio program producer who hosts regular cultural TV programs and radio music programs for RUV, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. He's written numerous articles on the matter for encyclopedias, magazines and newspapers and worked for two decades as an editor and project director for the Icelandic record industry.)
Johann G. Johannsson has been one of Iceland's most popular songwriter since the psychedelic era in rock music. As a kid I remember hearing his Creamish rock songs pounding on the radio and a few years later the immortal DON'T TRY TO FOOL ME topped the charts in Iceland. It's from the album, Langspil, released 1974 and is there among some great songs such as HARD TO BE ALONE and WHAT´YA GONNA DO? Langspil is one of those timeless albums and I remember when my friend, Ken Thomas (Producer of Sigurrós) heard it a few years ago and told me it was probably one of the best Icelandic Pop Albums he'd heard. Johann has this incredible sense for melodies and hooks like one Paul McCartney. A few years ago I produced some of his songs for an album called ASKING FOR LOVE. On that we have some of Iceland's finest vocalists singing his great songs. Emiliana Torrini sings the title track and Daniel Agust from Gus Gus contributes in a couple of songs. It wasn't hard to persuade those great artists to participate as their admiration for Johanns songwriting craftsmanship is unquestionable. His songs are wonderful and his talents should be discovered outside of Iceland.
Jon Olafsson
Musician/Composer & Arranger
Jon Olafsson is a very experienced musician. He has been in the frontline of the Icelandic music scene for more than fifteen years. He has written more than 150 songs and wrote music for Emiliana Torrini while she was an upcoming artist in Iceland.
Jon is a 41 year old pianist who has been a professional musician for the last two decades. He has been very efficient as a music director in the various shows the last few years in Reykjavik´s largest theatres.He has, for example, been the musical director of Hair, Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, Bugsy Malone, Jesus Christ Superstar, RENT,Chicago, Stone Free and The Rise and fall of Little Voice. As a composer he has written many Top Ten hits in Iceland and scores and themes for the theater and TV. As a producer and a musician he has been involved in over 100 Icelandic records. He has been voted “Keyboard player of the year” two times and nominated five times.
Mr. Olafsson was the director of Iceland´s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest in Italy in 1991 and arranged and produced Iceland´s entry in this years competition. For the 3 years now Jón has hosted his own TV show where he interviews Icelandic musicians and takes a close look at their music and career.
Johann G Johannsson is the all-round artist of Icelandic pop-culture. He formed his own band, Odmenn, around the mid sixties where he was the lead singer, lead instrumentalist and the only songwriter (lyrics plus melodies). As a singer, he has a pleasant vocal technique and a laid-back style. His music is quite varied, however, as he has made songs, ranging from being about practically nothing and up to sending deep philosophical messages. Having said that, I think I must also mention that Mr. Johannsson is a fine pictorial artist and graphic designer. As a musician, he is a crafty player who plays jazz and soul music as easily as any pop tune. This gentleman was honored by The Songwriters and Lyricists Association of Iceland last year, by being awarded especially for his Life Achievement in Music.
Thorsteinn Eggertsson
author - cartoonist - journalist - songwriter
(The most prolific lyricist of Northern Europe – The Scandinavian Countries)
Johann G Johannsson
In the early eighties, I´m sitting in a club in Reykjavik. There´s a ´60-70´s show going on and my table-mate, a Sweedish music-journalist on visit, isn´t very interested in Icelandic singers doing covers of ,,oldies but goldies", so he keeps talking to me. Suddenly, to my relief, he shuts up in the middle of a word and starts looking and listening. What grabs his attention is this male-singer in his mid thirties, who has just taken the stage. „Who is this guy", the Sweed asks after the singer has finished his first song: „Why isn´t he world-famous? He should be".
I can´t agree more and tell him that one of this singer´s songs is considered by most Icelanders to be the best pop-song written by an Icelander.
That was just over 20 years ago and at that time our best pop-song ever was 10 years old. But this great song, Don´t try to fool me, still has this position in Icelandic minds 31 years after its release.
The writer of Don´t try to fool me is of course Jóhann G. Jóhannsson, or Joee G as most of us call him, and as could be heard on a program about him on our National TV this year (2004) his voice has kept as well as this song of his.
But Jóhann G. is no one hit wonder. He has given us scores of great songs and it has bothered me every now and then through the years that they have not been brought to a wider audience than inhabits this island. He should be world-famous. Indeed.
Andrea Jónsdóttir, music critic, radio programmer and DJ (for 3 decades!).
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