The Long gone Smiles Band

The Long gone Smiles Band – winners of the Swedish National Country Music Awards in Pure Country 2007, 2012 and 2014 – is a six artists group, performing songs in the powerful style of the Golden Era of Country Music 1927-1957. They deliver the original music of the period, as well as their own songs, inspired by the past. The band plays on a variety of instruments: powerful fiddle, sparkling mandolin, whining Dobro and 1930's National Hawaiian guitar, moanin’ lapsteel of the 1940’s powered by vintage tube amps, bouncin’ guitars and poundin’ upright bass, and features old style country harmony singing.

THE NAME OF THE BAND?

The Long gone Smiles Band is inspired by the music and performances of Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams. The name of the band is a tribute to Rodgers and Williams. Michael H Lindgren says: - We have their music - but we miss their smiles. In concert, the Long gone Smiles Band present an uplifting and entertaining show – mixing the songs with stories about country music and the original artists – that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

HISTORY

The band was formed by Michael H Lindgren and Birgitta Adamson, after placing third in the 2005 Jimmie Rodgers Talent Contest in Meridian, Mississippi, with The Brakemen on the Memphis Train – Lindgren's tribute song to Jimmie Rodgers. Their performance spurred a lot of media interest, and led to a feature on the ABC News show, as well as live performances on several Meridian radio stations. The day after the contest the daily newspaper Meridian Star sported the headline: “Couple from Sweden takes Meridian by storm.” The other members of the Long gone Smiles Band, who joined in 2006, are Sven Faringer, P. G. Mattis, Ove Sundeson and Anders Hallman (upright bass). Later Chris Åberg played the bass for several years. Since 2023 our upright bass player is Peter Mellin, who also plays twin fiddle with Sven Faringer.

CD - DISCOGRAPHY

The band has produced four CD:s – Nashville and If you Believe in Christmas, both released 2007; and The Most Important Part, released 2009 - including tribute songs to Hank Williams and his steel guitar player Don Helms; and More for the Money, released in September 2016 - with 18 tracks. All CD:s are available on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon etc. All songs are mixed and mastered by our excellent Producer Hans Adamson at Art Vista Productions, Los Angeles.