The renowned Swedish percussionist Roger Palm passed away on Saturday, September 22, 2024. His work with Swedish pop group ABBA helped him become well-known.
Palm was born in Kyrktåsjö, Sweden, on March 31, 1949. He played with the bands The Gimmicks and Beatmakers in the 1960s. He started working in the Swedish session circuit in 1970. A year later, he performed at Benny Andersson’s (Anni-Frid Lyngstad) recording session with Frida.
Palm was involved with the bands Moonlighters, Beatmakers, Lasse Holm, and Gimmicks. He began collaborating with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson in 1970. He may be heard on several hits, including Ted Gärdestad’s “Satellite,” Abba’s “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and “Thank You for the Music.”
His first band, The Skymen, was a local guitar band and then a dance orchestra in Hoting near Kyrktåsjö that toured northern Sweden from 1964 to 1965. Roger Palm moved to Stockholm in 1966 and started playing with the musician Hans-Erik Nääs. With Leif Carlquist he started the band Gimmicks. Kjell Öhman invited Palm to the band Beatmakers in 1969, and he was in the band until 1974 when he moved to the Moonlighters. From 1976 he worked as a freelance musician.
Alzheimer’s caused Roger Palm to pass away. He was a kind and modest man who was always there to support his friends and family. He leaves a huge vacuum behind and will be greatly missed. We will all have fond memories of him,” the family says in a statement. During that time, Janne Schaffer, a fellow studio musician, wrote a post on Facebook about his friend and coworker.
“I miss you, Roger. I miss the joyful yells you used to make music in the studio with people like Ted Gärdestad. You provided a great swinging accompaniment for Ted’s “Satellit,” and your drumming sound legendary on hits like “Mamma Mia” and “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. I shall never forget you.