From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Musical artist
Margrethe "Maggie" Björklund is a
Danish guitarist and singer-songwriter who composes, plays, and sings music in the
folk and
alternative country genres. She began her career playing electric guitar in the female band The Darleens and briefly for the experimental pop band Miss B Haven. Björklund then started playing
pedal steel guitar as a studio musician and has released two solo recordings.
[1]
Early life
Maggie Björklund was born in
Denmark and grew up near
Copenhagen . She took piano lessons, but switched to guitar as soon as she could. She moved to
Hollywood and attended the
Musicians Institute , where she was introduced to
country music . She returned to Denmark after a year.
[2]
Career
Back in Denmark, she formed the all-female country band Darleens, and they recorded three albums for
Sony Records . After Darleens split up, she took
pedal steel guitar lessons from
Jeff Newman in
Nashville, Tennessee .
[3]
Her 2011 debut Coming Home was produced by Johnny Sangster (
The Tripwires ). The record featured members of
Calexico , and guest vocalists
Mark Lanegan (
Screaming Trees ),
Jon Auer (
The Posies ), and Rachel Flotard (
Visqueen ).
[4]
After the album's release, she played pedal steel with
Jack White 's all-female backing band, the Peacocks.
[5] In 2011 and 2012 she performed at
South by Southwest in
Austin, Texas . She also toured with
John Doe and with
Exene Cervenka from the band
X .
[6]
For her sophomore album Shaken , released in 2014, she enlisted
John Convertino (
Calexico ), Barb Hunter (
Afghan Whigs ), and Jim Barr (
Portishead ).
John Parish (producer for
Sparklehorse ) was producer, and
Kurt Wagner (
Lambchop ) provided a guest vocal. The songs reflected the impact of the death of her mother.
[7]
[8]
Discography
Maggie Björklund
LPs
2011: Coming Home (
Bloodshot Records BS 174)
2014: Shaken (Bloodshot Records BS 221)
Singles
1996: Margrethe Björklund CD Single (self-released MB 9601)
Appears on
1994: Kirsten Siggaard - Sirenernes Favn (Scandinavian Records 966 031-2)
2002: Superheroes - Superheroes (Crunchy Frog FROG 027-2)
2004: Sara Indrio - Dark Clouds, Silver Linings (Playground Music Scandinavia - TPCD-401)
2005: Jens K - Luksus Og Laser (Playground Music PGMJKCD 1001)
2006:
Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands - Snake In The Radio (
Bloodshot Records BS 129)
2007: Ginman / Jimmy Jørgensen - Deep (Universal Denmark 174 800-5)
2010:
Rusty Willoughby - Cobirds Unite (self-released)
2011:
Exene Cervenka - The Excitement of Maybe (Bloodshot Records BS 177)
2012:
Giant Sand - Tucson (
Fire Records FIRECD262)
2013: Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands - Tess (Candy Cross PWCCR 1301)
2014:
Gruff Rhys - American Interior (Turnstile TS008LP)
2014:
Jack White -
Lazaretto (
Third Man Records – TMR-271)
2015: Giant Sand - Heartbreak Pass (
New West Records NW5105)
2016: Jack White -
Acoustic Recordings 1998-2016 (Third Man Records TMR-387)
Darleens
LPs
1991: Darleens (Columbia 469259 1)
1993: Twisted (Columbia 473751 2)
2003: This Is Darleens (Rocky Love Records, Music NetWork Records SMEK 03)
EPs
1992: Cold Cold Christmas (Columbia 658808)
2001: Soft and Sweet
Singles
1991: I Cry Over You (Columbia 657583 7)
1993: All Is Right (Columbia 659604 1)
References
^ Estey, Chris (11 August 2011).
"Imaginary Interview with Maggie Bjorklund" . Three Imaginary Girls . Retrieved 21 October 2016 .
^ Kleinschmidt, Jonas (20 April 2015).
"Blue Steel: Maggie Björklund's Long Road" . TIDAL . Retrieved 21 October 2016 .
^ Fischer, Tobias (4 December 2012).
"15 Questions: Maggie Björklund: The Scandinavian Way" . 15 Questions . Retrieved 21 October 2016 .
^ Mateer, Chris (21 March 2011).
"Introducing Bloodshot Records Recording Artist: Maggie Bjorklund, Pedal Steel Songstress" . Uprooted Music Revue . Retrieved 21 October 2016 .
^ Whitmore, Laura (1 May 2012).
"Interview with Maggie Björklund: On Playing Pedal Steel and Backing Jack White" . Guitar World . Retrieved 21 October 2016 .
^ Margasak, Peter (25 November 2011).
"John Doe's beguiling pedal-steel player, Maggie Bjorklund" .
Chicago Reader . Retrieved 21 October 2016 .
^ Risch, Eric (12 December 2014).
"Maggie Björklund: Shaken" .
Popmatters . Retrieved 21 October 2016 .
^ Young, Killian (7 August 2014).
"Maggie Bjorklund, Jack White's Guitarist, Announces New Solo Album 'Shaken' " .
Spin Magazine . Retrieved 22 October 2016 .
External links
International National Artists