Gudrun Elisabet Anderson

Born: 2 April 1931, Östra Ämtervik, Värmland, Sweden
Died: 31 October 2010, Stockholm, Sweden

Description: Gudrun Elisabet Anderson (née Rystedt) was a Swedish lyricist and weaving teacher. She is best known as the life partner of Stig “Stikkan” Anderson, the renowned Swedish composer, lyricist, and ABBA manager. They were married from 1955 to 1985 and had three children: Marie (married to singer Tomas Ledin), Anders, and Lasse. Gudrun and Stikkan are buried at Galärvarvskyrkogården cemetery in Stockholm.

Life and Career:

• Lyricist: Gudrun wrote song lyrics, though her work was less prominent than Stikkan’s contributions to ABBA hits like “Waterloo” and “Dancing Queen”. She supported Stikkan’s music ventures, including Polar Music.

• Weaving Teacher: Beyond music, Gudrun worked as a weaving teacher, reflecting her creative nature.

• Family Role: Gudrun was the backbone of the family, managing finances and raising children while Stikkan focused on the music industry. After their divorce in the 1980s, they reconciled but did not remarry.

Connection to Eurovision: Stikkan Anderson was a pivotal figure in Eurovision, as ABBA won in 1974 with “Waterloo”. While Gudrun did not directly participate, her support for Stikkan indirectly contributed to Sweden’s success. Their daughter, Marie Ledin, married to Tomas Ledin (Sweden’s 1980 Eurovision entrant with “Just nu!”), continued the family’s music legacy.

Interesting Fact: Gudrun met Stikkan at Ingesund Folk High School in Värmland, where they began their shared journey in music and life.