Artist and songwriter Torbjörn “Pugh” Rogefeldt is dead, reports say DN.
He lived to be 76 years old.
– It is very, very sad. But his music remains, says Ronny Svensson, rock columnist and film critic.
Västerås-born Pugh Rogefeldt debuted in 1968 with the song “Haru vart på cirkus”. The following year, he released one of the first rock albums in Swedish, “Ja, dä ä dä”, which became his most successful.
“Små lätta moln” and “Två lika er ett” are some of Pugh Rogefeldt’s most famous songs from the 20 or so albums he released during his 50-year music career.
Was scolded
The film critic, as well as the rock lover, Ronny Svensson describes Pugh Rogefeldt as an important pioneer in Swedish music history.
– Rock and pop in Swedish he was the first to participate in such a lyrical way, says Ronny Svensson.
Amidst all the prog, he managed to break through in a grand way.
– And he was so scolded for that, the Västeråskillen, because he sang about feelings and had these poetic lyrics, says Svensson.
“Very difficult over the years”
A sold-out Circus in Stockholm 2019 was his last performance.
According to DN, in 2019 the artist suffered from the unusual nerve disease CBD, which knocks out speech, mobility, memory and finally the ability to swallow.
It was Pugh Rogefeldt’s wife Borit Hallin who confirmed the artist’s passing to DN.
– It has been very difficult during these years, I have been with him the whole time, she tells the newspaper.