Mikael Rickfors was born December 4, 1948.

Mikael was a member of the Swedish band Bamboo from 1967-1970. Bamboo had been relatively popular on the Scandinavian circuit. They released two singles - one of which was Everybody's Gone Home in 1968. <Billede>

In 1971, Mikael released a solo single, Familjelycka ('Family h appiness' in

Swedish). Then he was contacted by the Hollies. He was brought in as a

replacement for Allan Clarke when Allan made his first attempt at a solo

career. He had been spotted by Tony Hicks during one of the Hollies'

Scandinavian tours when Mikael was with Bamboo. He first recorded with the Hollies on October 14, 1971.

Upon joining the band, he took over the lead vocals spot. He also

contributed on guitar, bass, and piano. He sang on the hit single, The Baby, which reached #26 in the UK. The Hollies then released the Romany album. Mikael sang lead on most of the songs and penned the song Touch (This tune had originally been done by Bamboo). The group toured extensively after the release of the album.

The next album that the band recorded, Out On The Road, was only released on the Hansa label in Germany. Mikael wrote The Last Wind and Don't Leave The Child Alone for the album. He also co-wrote They Don't Realise I'm Down and A Better Place with Terry Sylvester. Out On The Road was released in October of 1973, but by that time time Mikael had already been replaced by a returning Allan Clarke.

Mikael has had a successful solo career since leaving the Hollies, having

released ten albums to date. He has written most of his own material,

typically with his songwriting partner Hasse Huss. His first solo album,

Mikael Rickfors, contained the tune Daughter of The Night which was later recorded by Jim Capaldi (on Daughter of The Night), Richie Havens (on The Beginning of the End), and Carlos Santana (on Havana Moon). His third album, Kickin' A Dream was a big success in Sweden. It had the hit single Dancing On The Edge Of Danger.

His next album, Tender Turns Tuff, was a number one album in Sweden. The track Yeah Yeah was covered by Cyndi Lauper for her album She's So Unusual.

In 1986, Mikael released the Rickfors album. It was different from his other works in that most of the songs were covers.

In 1988, Mikael released the Vingar album. ('wings' in Swedish). The album was an enormous hit throughout Scandinavia. It went platinum in Sweden; the first time one of his albums had reached that sales level there.

In 1990, Mikael joined together with a number of other Swedish artists to

form The Grymlings. The band was closely modeled after The Traveling

Wilburys. It consisted of Göran Lagerberg, Magnus Lindberg, Pugh Rogefelt

(all popular Swedish artists in their own right) and Mikael. All of the

songs on their debut album, Grymlings, were in Swedish. The album was a tremendous success and reached platinum-level sales. The name "Grymlings" came from the town of Grymling, a small community on the island of Gotland off of the Swedish coast where Mikael lived for a time

His next solo project was a two-album set called Judas River, released in

1991. One of the songs was Blue Night which was the title track of Percy

Sledge's recent comeback disc.

In 1992, Mikael reunited with the other Grymlings to release Grymlings

Volume 2. The group disbanded after releasing this album.

In 1995, Mikael helped out Carla Olson in her remake of his song Touch (from the Hollies' Romany album) on the Sing Hollies In Reverse tribute album. Mikael also moved back to Stockholm, after spending the last ten years on the island of Gotland, off the Swedish coast.

Excited by the Percy Sledge cover of Blue Night, Mikael is working on new

material. In early April 1996, Mikael released a new single entitled Love

Comes and Goes. There was a greatest hits compilation due out sometime in 1996; unfortunately that project was cancelled.

There are some artists interested in recording some of Mikael's songs. B.J. Thomas may record Jealousy from The Wheel. It is almost certain that Lester Chambers (of the Chambers Brothers) will record Woman & A Child from Judas River.

Shining Through The Rain, a Rickfors song that was never released, will be

on Percy Sledge's new album, to be recorded in Los Angeles.

Mikael's new album Happy Man Don't Kill, is slated for an April 1997

release.

Rickfors Fun Facts

.Mikael's wife's name is Mia. .Mikael has three children - two sons and a

daughter. .Contrary to the information provided in the 4-CD Four More

Hollies Originals, Mikael did not start working with (and had not even met) Hasse Huss until after he had returned to Sweden in 1974.

Quote

"The songs (on Romany) have two levels of meaning. You can take them

literally as an actual physical journey, but we think of it more of a journey inside a person." (Words & Music)

Albums

Solo

1.Mikael Rickfors (75)

2.The Wheel (77)

3.Kickin' A Dream (79)

4.Tender Turns Tuff (81)

5.Live! (82)

6.Blue Fun (83)

7.Hearthunters (85)

8.Rickfors (86)

9.Vingar (88)

10.Judas River (91).

11. Mikael Rickfors (CD 1989).

12. Spotlight (1990).

13. Happy Man Don't Kill (97).

14. Rickfors Greatest Hits (1999).

15. Lush Life (2004).

With the Grymlings

1.Grymlings (90) 2.Grymlings Volume 2 (92)

Singles

With Bamboo

1.Everybody's Gone Home/Can't You Come To Me (68)

2.Touch/To Know You Is To Love You (68)

Solo

1.Finns du kvar i stan ännu/Din sång (70)

2.Familjelycka/Om det finns nå'n

som hör (71) 3.Candida/Jag måste gå för mig själv (71)

4.Daughter Of The Night/The Leaving Scene (75)

5.Live Your Life/Ascension Day (76)

6.Take A Message To My Baby/The Wheel (76)

7.Dancing On The Edge Of Danger/Resistance (79)

8.Song For A Friend/Kickin' A Dream Around (79)

9.Tender Turns Tuff/Fire In My Heart (80)

10.Skin Is Thin/Same Old Song (82)

11.Turn To Me/Handy Man (83)

12.Turn To Me/Communication (83)

13.Blue Fun (re-mix)/Turn To Me (re-mix) (84)

14.Hearthunters/I've Been Loving You Too Long (85)

15.Hold On I'm Coming/Handle of Hope (86)

16.Gates To Heaven/Every Breath You Take (86)

17.Boom Boom/Lean On Me (87)

18.Vingar/Skuggornas alle' (88)

19.Vilda kvinnor/Jag har läst dina dikter (88)

20.Minnenas Hotell/Ställ dig upp i natten (89)

21.After Loving You /After Loving You (instrumental) (91)

22.Ghost In My House/Tsohg (91)

23.Love Comes And Goes/Dancing On The Edge Of Danger (96).

24.Happy Man Don't Kill/ ??? (97)

With Susanne Alfvengren

1.Som stormen river öppet hav/Om kärlek (86)

With Sharon Dyall

1.Broken Necklace/Prologue (87)

With the Grymlings

1.Mitt bästa för dig/Om jag inte kan bli din (90)

2.Där gullvivan blommar/Christine (91)

Percy Sledge

1.I Wish It Would Rain (94)

The assistance of Hasse Huss was invaluable in compiling this information.