I was writing in a group, Sunroom Music, with Erik Moll and Ron Hicks in the 90’s. Ron and I had been writing for a while. We met Erik when we were asked to join the group formed by Linda Wier (Rusty’s ex-wife). Erik was from Norway but living in Austin. He is a fine songwriter.
Erik, Norwegian/American, he has lived his life in both countries.
He knew an artist from Oslo (well Tromso,really….far north, REALLY far north Norway) named Steinar Albrigtsen. Although he was originally known as a Blues artist, Steiner was having a good deal of success as a country singer. While visiting Norway, Erik had played Steinar his own songs, as well as some Ron and I had written,
Steinar recorded quite a few of Erik’s for his first Cd, ALONE TOO LONG. He also chose “Daddy’s Cadillac” and “Burnin’ Moonlight”, Ron and my co-writes. The single off that Cd was Ron’s song, “In Rosa’s Heart”. It became a big hit.
(From Steinar’s Wiki page) Norwegian American Erik Moll , was the one behind many of the songs on the record. The album also featured the radio favorite ” In Rosa’s Heart “. Moll also participated in Albrigtsen’s nationwide tour in the wake of the plate release.
For his second Country Cd Steinar came to Austin. It was a thrill for us to meet him and play him our songs, in person. While in town he had a video crew and recorded a documentary, “Albrigtsen in Austin”. It filmed him on his quest for songs, including us playing the songs that he had already recorded on Cd. The second Cd was titled BOUND TO WANDER, the name of one of Ron’s tunes.
My song, “I Just Wanna Fall In Love Again” was chosen as a single (I have a GOLD Cd on my wall, along with my Platinum LP from ALONE TOO LONG). As I understand, Steinar used that song as his opening song for a good while. A “Career song” as they call it.
Speaking of that song, when my Ex-wife and our daughter, Mina, were in Switzerland on vacation we were having dinner in a restaurant. Our server was a young woman from Sweden. When I went to the rest room, Karen told the woman I was a musician and mentioned that a Norwegian singer had recorded one of my songs. It turned out that the girls mother was MAD about Steinar and played his Cd all the time. When I came back to the table she sang “I Just Wanna Fall in Love Again” to me. She knew it by heart. It almost made me cry.
In 1998 Steinar came to Austin to form a band to play at the Norskfest in Minott, North Dakota. He hired me on bass, Erik on acoustic, our drummer-Wally Doggett and legendary Austin guitarist, Mitch Watkins, to support him and Lynni Treekrem (an amazing Norwegian singer) for their sets at the festival. I remember Steinar feeling that he had to do the show with American players, because of our feel.
When Steinar arrived at the rehearsal hall he handed me a guitar case. Inside was his “Signature” brown mahogany Takemine guitar. I had always coveted his guitar. He smiled and said “I got you one!”. It was one of nicest gestures, so personal.
We had a ball playing 2 shows a day in Minott, on the bill with Ricky Scaggs, Bill Cosby, Jay Leno and Wayne Newton!!
The year after that, 1999, I toured Norway with Erik and Rick Poss.
We played 10 dates in 9 cities, including Bergen (the most beautiful place) and 2 venues in Oslo….Smuget (smoogit) and the Palace Grill. Smuget means “alley” in Norwegian and it was an uptown music venue. We played in a “Private” part of the club, pretty prestigious.
SMUGET
PALACE GRILL
The gig at Palace Grill was amazing. Half of the place was a 5 star restaurant, where they fed us before the show. You didn’t order, you just ate what the owner brought to the table. The meal was amazing! He knew what he was doing!
Lynni and Steinar sat in with us and we played and played and played. It was so much fun! At the end of the night Lynni and I were headed for different places but we yelled “I love you!!” at the top of our lungs for about 2 blocks as we got farther apart. Did I mention Norwegian beer?
On that tour, Erik had me sing “I Just Wanna Fall in Love Again” as part of our show. ( I was playing bass and singing background vocals on the tour). Every time we played that song, right from the first guitar lick, the crowds would scream. I was so proud.
A few years later Steinar put out a Greatest Hits Cd, Now & Then, along with a music book, featuring the songs. I was thrilled that he included “I Just Wanna Fall in Love Again” as part of them. It really moved me to see my song as sheet music, with the lyrics and chord diagrams above, just like the books that I learned Beatles and Neil Young songs from.
To this day I am eternally grateful to Steinar for recognizing me as a songwriter and for making me feel like a “star” in Norway.
“Thanks, Man…it was thrilling!”
My Entertaining Life-Steve Carter 