Fred Åkerström

Swedish folk singer, born on January 27, 1937 in Högalid, Stockholm, Södermanland. Akerström is especially known for his interpretations of Carl Michael Bellman's music, but Åkerström's first LP, released in 1963, was about another songwriter, Ruben Nilson. In 1971, Åkerström was a co-founder of YTF, the Association of Professional Troubadours, and the association's first chairman. YTF works to safeguard the interests of professionally active song artists. During the 1970s and 1980s, YTF also helped their members with artist booking and released some of their recordings. Åkerström was the initiator to the founding of 'Ruben Nilson Sällskapet' (the Ruben Nilson Society) on February 7, 1982, and the society's first chaiman, a position which he held for three and a half more years until his death in 1985. Åkerström was found dead in his flat in August 1985 in Karlskrona, Sweden. Father of singer and songwriter Cajsa Stina Åkerström.