"What I've experienced from my years as an artist in the Blues circuit, is that it brings people from all social classes, ages and cultures together. Generally I think all music brings people together, but the blues society is more like a big family a bit away from the more commercial music scene."

Ronny Aagren: Nothin' But The Blues

Ronny Aagren was born in November 1971, Jessheim, Norway. He began his music career in the early 80s, and has toured both domestic and abroad with various artists and bands. It all started back when he was a small boy and his mother played on her old box guitar and Ronny was paying great attention. Ronny bought his first guitar, a black Ibanez Les Paul at the age of 14, which he still uses on the stage today! Inspired by the first Delta blues artists like Robert Johnson and Blind Willie Johnson, BB King, Howlin’ Wolf and then The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Ry Cooder and others, Ronny has through the years made his own distinct sound when it comes to his guitar skills. Ronny is first and foremost known as an exquisite slide guitarist, and is considered by many as one of the best blues-guitarists in Norway. He is both the composer and songwriter on the albums.

(Photo: Ronny Aagren)

Ronny went on tours with J.T. Lauritsen and The Buckshot Hunters in the US, both at IBC 2017, concerts in Florida 2019 with Terry Hank, and The Sandy Beaches Cruise XXV in 2019 going out in the Caribbean. On the cruise, he shared the stage with Kim Wilson, who most people know from The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Terry Hank, a well known saxophone player on the American scene. Now, the artist is working on his 3’rd album, scheduled to be released in March 2024. 3 singles are to be released prior to the album in March 2024. The first one called “Early In The Morning '' was released on December 8th, the second single ”High and Low”, was released on January 12th 2024 and the third one will be released on February 16th 2024.

Interview by Michael Limnios

What do you learn about yourself from the blues and what does the blues mean to you?

The blues has taught me a lot. First of all, to be humble, kind and appreciate what you have and the people around you, whether it’s family, friends or just random people you meet on the street. Another thing is that Blues is about feeling, whether you are a listener or a performer. If you don’t have feeling, it's hard to play the blues. I discovered blues music when I was quite young, in my pre-teens. The music just hit me straight away. The way it is performed just felt real. It didn’t seem like advanced music, but the way it was expressed felt authentic, so I was hooked right away and still am. Everybody gets the Blues now and then, so it's a type of music that reaches people somehow. Whether it's the delta blues or music influenced by the blues, it feels real and it’s groovy.

How do you describe your sound and songbook? What's the balance in music between technique and soul?

I feel like I have my own unique sound, and it's difficult to say who or what it might sound like. I'm quite influenced by other genres of music and I do think my music is a mix of what I listen to. It can vary from delta blues all the way to artists like Ry Cooder and Little Feet. Since I was a child, I’ve been exposed to different kinds of music such as old school gospel, Rock and roll, country, and latin music. It made me curious about what's out there, so I’ve always been open to different kinds of music, but what it all needs to have in common is the authenticity and the feeling. For me, the most important clue to all kinds of music is that it has to come from within to really get to me.

When it comes to how I make my music, the ideas just pop up in my head, and they almost come out the same way they came in. I never produce music to satisfy a demand. I'm self-taught when it comes to playing guitar, and never learned how to read or write music. Most of the time I don’t even know the name of the chords I play, it just feels natural. When I write lyrics, it's mostly based on my own life and experiences. It makes the music more personal and meaningful to me, and feels more authentic when presented to an audience.                      (Ronny Aagren / Photo by Sven-Erik Hagen)

"The music industry is a big and difficult thing to get a grasp on or to figure out, but the audience and the music lovers out there, give equally as much back to us musicians as we give to them. They are the ones that make it worthwhile and you can see the smiles, feel the joy, hear the laughter and see the sheer love they express when they're attending a concert or festival somewhere."

Why do you think that the Blues music continues to generate such a devoted following in Norway?

As long as I can remember, the Blues has been around in peoples houses, cars, bars and clubs. The reason, I think, is that it’s folk music, and it can resonate with all classes of society. The blues is still very much alive in most of the cities in Norway, with their own Blues societies that do concerts almost every weekend, all year round. This gives birth to new blues bands and new members every year.

Many Norwegian blues artists have released great albums during the years. toured around the world, and many of them have made a name here in Norway as well as abroad.

What moment changed your music life the most? What’s been the highlights in your life and career so far?

Discovering Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson, BB King and Ry Cooder in my early days was without a doubt the turning point for me as a guitarist and artist. Remembering the hours spent listening to these artists on cassettes and vinyl, and scratching my head trying to figure out how they could make such great sounds on their guitars and how they used a bottle-neck. Man, that was hard work, but it paid off. When I was 17 years old, I read that Ry Cooder was playing a concert in Norway. Nobody knew who he was, so I had to go by myself. I still have the ticket, and I have vivid memories from that show which made a big impression on me.

When it comes to my music career so far, The biggest game changer of them all was when I went solo in 2016. In the years prior I had been a guitarist for other artists and bands, touring mostly in Norway. Going solo opened new doors for me, and it led to a flying start. 2017 became a year of great success, with plenty of concerts and the release of my first album “Close to you” on December 15th, 2017.

"The blues has taught me a lot. First of all, to be humble, kind and appreciate what you have and the people around you, whether it’s family, friends or just random people you meet on the street. Another thing is that Blues is about feeling, whether you are a listener or a performer. If you don’t have feeling, it's hard to play the blues." (Photo: Ronny Aagren)

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

The first album “Close to You” got a great response and attention, with both reviews and airplay on radio in Norway, USA, England, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Germany and more. My band and I played festivals in Sweden, Germany, and France, which was a new experience for most of us. My band and I were also chosen to represent Norway and the Norwegian Blues Union (NBU) at "The International Blues Challenge 2019", which took place in Memphis, Tennessee.

I was asked to go on tours with a great friend of mine J.T. Lauritsen and The Buckshot Hunters in the US, both at IBC 2017, concerts in Florida 2019, and The Sandy Beaches Cruise XXV in 2019 going out in the Caribbean. On the cruise, I shared the stage with one of my favorite artists, Kim Wilson who most people know from The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Terry Hank, a well known saxophone player on the American Blues scene. These are all concerts that meant a lot to me.

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

What I miss the most from the music of the past is the heart and simplicity. What you see is what you get. Back in the days, artists went to the studio to record a few takes, and release the best of them, with or without mistakes. That takes a lot to accomplish. What I hope for the future is that it all comes a bit more back to basics, without the blinking lights and the massive productions, whether it be on stage, in a studio or in music videos. What really makes me happy is seeing that happening with some big names around the world today, and many of these artists are playing quite old-school stuff. This helps younger generations get to know this kind of music and if they like it, they look for more.

I feel that younger generations aren't as exposed to old blues, gospel and country music any more, and that will eventually make the interest for it go away. The commercial forces behind pop music today are stronger than ever, and it takes up most of the time on radio and TV. They also have the manpower to spread it to all corners of the streaming world as well. This leaves it up to the older generation to expose and present the blues to younger generations if we want that kind of music to survive in the future.

"What I miss the most from the music of the past is the heart and simplicity. What you see is what you get. Back in the days, artists went to the studio to record a few takes, and release the best of them, with or without mistakes. That takes a lot to accomplish." (Photo: Ronny Aagren & His Blues Gumbo)

What is the impact of Blues on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

What I've experienced from my years as an artist in the Blues circuit, is that it brings people from all social classes, ages and cultures together. Generally I think all music brings people together, but the blues society is more like a big family a bit away from the more commercial music scene.  When I'm on tour, I meet all kinds of people. They greet you with open arms and big smiles. We share a common interest; the Blues.

When I write music, I know I touch people with some of the things I write about. Whether it be good times or hard times, we’ve all been there and it’s easy to recognise. It's the real deal and I hope my music brings out lots of joy, and that it can make a change for someone that's having a hard time, and to make them feel they aren't alone with their feelings. Other times I just want them to enjoy the music and have fun.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

I know I've learned a lot from being an artist all these years. The music industry is a big and difficult thing to get a grasp on or to figure out, but the audience and the music lovers out there, give equally as much back to us musicians as we give to them. They are the ones that make it worthwhile and you can see the smiles, feel the joy, hear the laughter and see the sheer love they express when they're attending a concert or festival somewhere. But the most important thing when it comes to being a recording artist is to never give up, even though it's hard work. Have fun, and focus on making good music for all the music lovers out there who really appreciate it. Don’t focus on where it brings you. Just enjoy the ride.

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(Photo: Ronny Aagren)