Posted on 05/31/2014 5:48:50 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Former homeless man Doug Seegers is set to embark on a tour of Sweden after a chance discovery by a Swedish television crew turned the singer into an overnight sensation in the country.
Seegers, 62, featured on the popular SVT show 'Jills Veranda' earlier this year. The street performer, who has admitted to living rough in the past, was catapulted to stardom after performing his song 'Going down to the river' on the programme.
It then rocketed to number one on the Swedish iTunes chart. Swedish fans have since uploaded their own version of Seegers' hit song to YouTube, while a few of them have even gone all the way out to Nashville just to meet the singer in person.
Seegers is now packing his bags for a summer tour of Sweden and will perform with Swedish country icon Jill Johnson, who discovered the street musician when recording her self-titled tv show.
“I have never talked about myself this way in my entire life, you gotta believe me,” Seegers told America's Public Radio International (PRI).
He added; "But I am famous in Stockholm, Sweden and in Nashville, no one knows who I am.”
After being plucked from obscurity the singer-songwriter was asked to record an album by Swedish producer Håkan Olsson.
The producer then booked him for a 60 date Scandinavian tour, where he will open a festival featuring legends like Neil Young and Van Morrison.
“There's a lot of performing on TV shows and it’s very very rarely that it had that kind of impact that Doug had on the Swedish audience, Olsson told PRI.
The Swede added; “The first time he performed on the TV show and it was a complete knock out."
Seegers didn't even have a passport before he hit the big time in Sweden and is lapping up his new found fame.
"The responses that I've got has been totally overwhelming to me. I just want to tell all the people of Sweden how much I am looking forward to coming out there and playing for y'all," he told SVT.
Seegers' tour gets under way in Stockholm on June 9th.
The guy’s pretty good.
Sounds like the old time music my parents listened to. I love the sound!
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
I’ve only heard the tune mentioned but he is talented enough for me to want more. I’ve also got really talented relatives
that bring to mind the Billy Joel lyrics, “Man what are you doing here?”
David Hasselhoff is mysteriously famous in Europe too.
"Going Down to the River"
Verse 1
I'm going down to the river
To wash my soul again
I'm been runnin' with the devil
And I know he's not my friend
I've been falling by the wayside
I'm living in this world of sin
I'm going down to the river
To wash my soul again
Verse 2
I’m going down to the country
To bury my head in a creek
I'm gonna jump in those waters
Baptize both my feet
Because everywhere I’ve been walking
I'm been gettin' in trouble deep
I'm going down to the river
Gonna' wash my soul again
Bridge
Help! This old world is going to hell
In a handbasket
If I don’t get any resurrection soon
I'm gonna end up in a casket, wohoohoo...
Verse 3
I'm going down to the river
To wash my soul again
I'm been runnin' with the devil
And I know he's not my friend
I've been falling by the wayside
I'm living in this world of sin
I'm going down to the river
To wash my soul again
The Swedes should “read, mark, learn and inwardly digest” those lyrics and then go thou and do likewise.
There’s hope for me yet...
That made my day, my man! Thanks, and God bless!
Loved seeing the Volvo at :56 and 1:18. Nice video touch. Product placement?
Thanks for drawing my attention to this site. My son just moved to Sweden and I’m sure he’ll be interested in it.
Thanks for posting this. Great tune!
What a great story. God bless America and Sweden!
Hey look at this:
the same three in the studio
they are really good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjfbHiVpvrc
I think resurrection is restoration, but this is a great song
Yeah, I’m sure he had in mind restoration, reconciliation. But “resurrection” is a stronger, more visual verb: not the exactitude of “theology,” but the true power behind the “theology.”
the reason I say that is here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjfbHiVpvrc
not discussing theology just saying what I heard
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