Norwegian Grammy Award winner Amund Maarud has been a leading star of the Norwegian blues/rock/impro scene for over two decades. Genre curiosity has become a trademark of this ever touring and recording guitar virtuoso.
Born in 1981 in the countryside of eastern Norway, the guitar seemed to be stuck with him from the age of 2.
He played his first concert with his family band, Maarudkara, when he was 7. They continued to gig regularly with his brother on drums and father on bass for the next eleven years. The debuted on national TV when he was 12 and released their debut album in ́99. Amund found the blues aged 10 and has never looked back.
In 2003 Amund had gone solo and was playing shows 5 days a week at with his trio, still with brother Henrik on drums. Releasing the Seasick Steve-produced «Ripped, Stripped and Southern Fried» got him nominated for a Norwegian Grammy. Amund had by the age of 18 become something of a well-known guitar prodigy on the Norwegian scene heavily inspired by the BB King, John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy. The touring schedules started to become packed and Amund has since then remained one of the most active musicians in Norway and a leading star of the blues/rock/impro-scene for well over two decades.
Amund ́s draw towards a fresh take on blues based music has led him into many different projects over the years. He has been touring and making albums with his 60s psych rock band The Grand, his own various solo bands, the duo Morudes, impro-jazzrock trio Amgala Temple, theater music written and performed at the National Theater, his one man solo show and him joining forces with americana band Lucky Lips and also The Buick; where music meets poetry alongside some of the most famous writers and musicians in Norway. Every project nurturing a man on mission to explore, write and perform music in his own image. His music has taken him all over the world and he has toured Russia, Europe, USA, South Korea, Cambodia and Japan.
In 2019 alone Amund has played in Japan, Nashville and twice in the UK. His biggest show in England was in The Royal Albert Hall where he was one of the headliners and also the musical director the Norwegian Blues Adventure.
Amund ́s was awarded a Norwegian Grammy in 2011. He got the Edvard Grieg Composer Award on 2016. He was awarded the Blues Award at Notodden Blues festival in 2016. In 2018 Amund got his own star at the Blues Walk of Fame in Notodden alongside the likes of Ry Cooder, BB King and Bonnie Raitt.
Amund is currently in his studio, Snaxville Recordings, working on his 7th soloalbum, the second one with the Lucky Lips. In typical fashion he never stops playing concerts in between studio work. Amund ́s love of playing guitar has lasted him a lifetime and he is regular sighting at various airports with a Stratocaster on his back going to the next gig.
“The rhythm and beautifully screaming guitar hurtled out of the stage and wrapped around the delirious audience, enchaining us in awe. It was obvious that we were in the presence of something special” –
St. Pauls Lifestyle after Amund ́s live UK debut in 2014.
«...it was obvious from the moment he set on stage that music simply flows through every inch of him. Even when he sat down during a solo, he spun his chair around and kicked his leg in the air. An extremely talented and versatile guitarist....If you have the opportunity to see him play, take it.» Norway Rock Magazine after the Royal Albert Hall show Nov 20
