The Hellbillies are my favorite Norwegian country music.  In fact, they are my favorite country music band (which isn’t exactly too big of a feat because country is probably my least favorite musical genre…).  I first heard them as a sophomore in college thanks to my good friend who was half Norwegian.  His family comes from northern Norway and as far as I can tell, country music is more popular the farther north one goes in Norway.  The Hellbillies’ lyrics are sung in a dialect from Hallingdal, Norway, a region in the middle of the country.

The group formed in 1990 and consists of  8 members:

• Aslag Haugen – Lead vocals, guitar, writing the music on most of the tracks.
• Arne Henry Sandum – Electric bass-guitar
• Lars Haavard Haugen – Lead guitar, resonator guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, pedal steel etc.
• Bjørn Gunnar Sando – Drums
• Arne Moslåtten – Acoustic guitar, flute, lyricist

Keyboards/Piano/Organ at concerts:

• Lasse Hafreager
• Trond Nagell Dahl
• Lars Christian Nærum

I absolutely love Aslag’s voice.  It is so strong and distinctive.  The song (above) is called “Den Redde” and “Leitte etter Lykka” from their new album.

Some of my other favorite songs that Hellbillies sing are:

“Den finaste eg veit”

and “Ei Krassfaren Steinbu”

What  do you think?  Enjoy!