Ottar 'Big Hand' Johansen - Big Hand 70 (2019)

An adventurous musical journey with Ottar Big Hand Johansen through 55 years!
Norway's country icon, Ottar Big Hand, turns 70 in 2019. Of course, the anniversary is marked with an enchanting performance in the Suliskong's musical universe. The performance is also played in concert version. The show is packed with Big Hand's songs, which are known from TV and radio, and there are hits with hits such as Bonde from the village, Blue Norwegian Moon, Starting All Over Again and Will The Circle Be Unbroken, to name a few. The show is spiced up with unique pictures and clips from the artist's career. The premiere takes place at Vinterlysfestivalen at Spektrum Scene in Mo i Rana, February 13 and 14, 2019. For the anniversary, an album with new songs plus ten "best of" from previous releases comes out.
When Ottar sang "If You Need Me" at Cafe Iris at Folkets Hus in Sulitjelma in 1965, Nashville was not in mind. The artist name Big Hand was not yet on the poster. He was born in Bodø, grew up in Godøy near Saltstraumen, and came to Sulis when he was 8 years old. But in 1968 he moved to Ski outside Oslo. Here he was headhunted to tour with Ray Adams in the Swedish public parks. Then the recordings followed, the TV show Landhandelen with the group Country Snakes, before he released his first album "Hverdagshelter" in 1978. Then the record series "CountryFest" had sold over a million albums! At the same time, he went to Nashville.
"Big Hand" has been incubating in Norwegian music life for several centuries. Anniversary performance "From Sulis to Nashville" is the story of a journey from the brawl in Giken to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. It is the story of a music form that has been developing rapidly and a long life on the road across the country.
The band consists of top musicians within the genre:
Daniel Trustrup Røssing from Skogn treats the piano. He has toured Europe with Chuck Berry himself, who called Daniel his "white son".
Roar Øien from Ler plays steel guitar, guitar, dobro and accordion. He comes from the band Too Far Gone.
The bass is treated by Knut Aune from Harran, a steady bass player with a twinkle in his eye.
Roger Svartvatn from Trofors plays drums / percussion. Cruise time with Mix, Big Hand, Too Far Gone and Gone Country.
Frode Hansen from Mo i Rana is a fingertip guitarist with solid roots in the root music.
Stig «Chet» Bang ties it all together, and makes us better acquainted with the artist and man
Ottar Jakob "Big Hand" Johansen, from the school music in Sulis to American scenes with the biggest country stars.
"Slegga from Sulis" has received 2 Spellemann awards, and had 7 nominations for his albums, but for Ottar it is just as loud that he became the Year's Honor-slush in Sulis in 2005.