...about Agnetha's ordeal in Jönköping.
AGNETHA AND I COULD SIT FOR HOURS
DREAMING ABOUT BECOMING FAMOUS
Not since Agnetha Fältskog became worldfamous has she been back in her hometown - not until now! Here some of her closest friends from the past tells their stories about how they remember Agnetha.
Jönköping wasn't exactly considered the most "happening town" But that was about to change. In connection with the city's 700th anniversary has the normally so quiet and peacful town decided to have a huge celebration, which even will be televised.To top it off the town has convinced Agnetha Fältskog to parttake in the festivities, which she will be hosting. It's the first since Agnetha became ABBA-Agnetha with the whole world as a stage when she will be back to sing. So there's no wonder that the Jönköping citizens are a bit excited now. Agnetha probably thought long and hard before she accepted this honour. She has become more reclusive and avoid the big stages. And on top of it all this TV-show is going to be aired live. The jubilée show went with a theme of the many memories of Agnetha during the years. The show will be something special for Agnetha fans, a tribute to Jönköpings daughter. Many of the performing artists are Agnetha's closest friends, most of them have known her forever. Her mother Birgit, the food market cashier and her dad Ingvar, who works for the local electricity company will keep their fingers crossed.
One of the guest were kept a secret until the very latest minute. It was Agnetha's old muscial teacher from school, Eivor Stenäng and her girl choir. There was a lot of secrecy about their performance. Saxons did manage to get a chat with Eivor ahead of the show.
- It's going to be fantastic to meet Agnetha again, it has been a while, 20 years. Agnetha was 13 and I myself was 21 and new as a musicteacher, Eivor rembers. I had so many students and I didn't have the chance to get to know Agnetha personally, But I do recall the girl with the long blond hair who loved to perform and sing.
- It was difficult to get any of the girls to sing solo in front of the class. That is probably why I remember Agnetha so vividly I also remember that she had a beautiful, clear voice, but I couldn't dream that she would one day become world famous.
One of the local singers Agnetha insisted on having with her on the show was her best friend from her teens - Lena Lagerkvist.
- Actually there were three of us that were inseparable; Agnetha, I and a girl named Elisabeth Strub. We did everything together and had a lot of fun. Sometimes we went out dancing but for most of the time we stayed by yourselves and sang together. Singing and music were our greatest hobby, Lena tells us.
- When we weren't singing we were dreaming about what big stars we were going to become and what fantastic careers we would have, Lena laughs.
And the trio had some engagements.
- We sang at Folkets Park and at Rigolette which was the cool place to be in Jönköping during that time. For two years we were lucky to participate in the New Year's Revue produced by Vincent Bagge.
Elisabeth and Lena got 'normal' jobs. Only Agnetha persued the music career all of three of them had dreamt about.
- I'm not surprised at all that it was Agnetha who made it. She was very musically talented and the one who was most competitive and focused on her goal. There was just nothing else that interested her. Her biggest idol was Connie Francis and she tried hard to sound like her, Lena remembers. I will never forget the first time I saw her on TV. I was so happy for her, I got chills all over my body!
GREAT TO SEE EACH OTHER
- We kept in touch a little while after Agnetha's breakthrough. She used to visit me when she came back home to
Jönköping. But after both Elisabeth and I moved away we lost touch. It will be great to see each other again. To see what she's like today.
- Back when I knew her she was an ordinary girl. Happy and funny, great to be with. She was quite shy and soft, definitely not the kind that steps over anyone else in life.
- I don't think she has changed that much. Of course somethings must have changed when you become world famous, but I firmly believe that deep inside she is still the same kind and ordinary girl that I know, said an excited Lena a couple of weeks before the show.
Agnetha got to experience another friend from her past. It was the band leader Bernt Enghardt. It was in his band Agnetha started singing.
- Agnetha and I worked together for three years. Then I left that group for another one, but Agnetha stayed on for another year. I remember her as a very nice girl, talented and ambitious. A little shy, just like the rest of us in the band, Bernt says.
Agnetha was just 16 when she became the lead singer in Bernt Enghardts Orkester.
- We used to joke about how Agnetha only got the job because her predecessor also was called Agnetha, and it saved us the cost to print new posters, Bernt laughs.
All members of the band had normal jobs during the weeks. Agnetha was a switch board operator at the car firm Atteviks Bil, where she mostly was half asleep dreaming of her next gig.
- It was a tough, but very enjoyable time. On weekends and some week nights we played around at different Folkets Hus. When the dance was over we packed up and went back home. Very rarely we spent the night. We were all short of money and we had to get up the next morning to go to work.
But there were other reasons for Agnetha not spending the night. Agnetha's parents...
- I was terribly nervous when Agnetha went off on the tour bus. Sixteen is a dangerous age when it comes to boys and I was worried she was going to stay in a hotel with all of the boys, Agnetha's father Ingvar said in an interview a couple of years ago.
- Yes, we all knew that Agnetha's father was watching us, Bernt says.
Agnetha was still working with Bernt Enghardts when she had her breakthrough with "Jag Var Så Kär".
- I clearly remember when Agnetha came with this song to a rehearsal. It was the first song she wrote. After playing it through once we all said "that this will take you to Svensktoppen". Agnetha objected, but we were right.
As we all know...
