Finally out of the country closet

“It’s always been there, yes. But especially during my teenage years, when I was really into jazz, the main thing was to make sure, for heaven’s sake, not to tell anyone. So I kept my love of country music a secret for a very long time,” smiles musician Bjørn Charles Dreyer.

Boxes of country music

In a podcast from Kilden (link to the podcast at the bottom of the article), the musical director of next year’s major production, *Heimanifrå – på høge hæle i Junaiten*, talks about growing up in New York, the challenges of moving to Norway at the age of five, and box after box of albums by the biggest names in country music.

“Hank Williams, Charlie Pride, Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, Buck Owens, George Jones. Many of these artists have shaped my life, and it’s been an exciting process to incorporate this into a newly written show that tells a story closely tied to my own family’s experiences,” he says.

A pleasant surprise

On stage during the performance, he forms the band together with Dene O’Neil, Øystein Lauen, and Audun Ramo. But the fact that the actors are also such talented singers has come as a surprise to Dreyer:

– This is the first time I’ve worked with actors in this way, and not only are they outstanding in their craft, but they’re all talented singers as well. It’s been a huge, pleasant surprise.

First time with Bjøro

The musician is taking the stage for the first time alongside the legendary Bjøro Håland. In the podcast, he also explains how the two have nearly collaborated on several occasions over the past 30 to 35 years, but that something has always gotten in the way.

Below is a link to Bjørn Charles Dreyer’s own playlist on Spotify. It features songs from the Heimanifrå universe, and some of these may be heard during the performance itself. 

Photo: Lars Gunnar Liestøl