Lasse Axelsson and Maria Nordenback started Stockholm Gospel. Around 500 singers gathered for the first gospel festival August 7-8, 1988. For two days there were concerts at Sergels torg with live broadcast by Radio Stockholm, as well as eleven simultaneous concerts at various locations around the city. The festival culminated with a final concert at Eriksdalshallen which was shown on Swedish television. Clarence Eggleton, Per-Erik Hallin, Ray Walter, Beverly Glenn, Eric Bibb and Clay Evans and the Fellowship Choir from Chicago were among the guests at Stockholm Gospel Festival 1988. They gave an enthusiastic standing-room-only concert at Filadelfiakyrkan.
Stockholm Gospel celebrated its 20-year anniversary in August 2008 with a 1600-voice choir. Concerts were held at various places around the city including Sergels torg, Filadelfiakyrka, and Gustaf Adolfs torg where there were around 7000 people in the audience. Guests included Cynthia Nunn and Dayspring Choir from Chicago, Walt Whitman & the Soul Children of Chicago, Tripple & Touch together with Star School Choir from South Africa, Clarence Eggleton, Jay T. Hairston, Joshua Nelson, Per-Erik Hallin, Maria Nordenback, Louise Hoffsten, Eric Bibb, Credokören, Servants, Cyndee Peters and others. Dagens Nyheter, a Swedish newspaper, reported in one of its headlines, “Gospel got the city to swing.”
Looking Ahead. Stockholm Gospel is focusing on youth and schools. During the spring, work has been done with students from several schools around Stockholm. The work is based on gospel music. The summer of 2009 a youth festival is being planned with the theme “Keep the Dream Alive.” (See Current News) Another Stockholm Gospel Festival is being planned for the summer of 2010 with the hope that many international participants will be involved.
Lasse Axelsson – Director
Bengt Bengtsson – Finances
Mia Nygren – Special Projects
Lasse Axelsson
Jonas Engström
Eskil Hofverberg
Mia Nygren
Charlotte Ollward
Anki Spångberg
Magnus Spångberg
Thomas Sundberg