Ragnar Ólason

Ragnar Ólafsson (Ragnar Ólason) is an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer who brings a wide-ranging musical palette to Iceland's blues community. Best known as a founding member of the critically acclaimed indie folk band Árstíðir, Ólafsson also contributes keyboards and more to the Reykjavík blues scene — performing with the CC Fleet Blues Band at the Harpa Blues Festival and as a member of the Singletons. Working from E7 studios in Reykjavík, Ólafsson is a skilled producer and composer who favors analog instruments — the Juno 106 synthesizer, vintage upright pianos, Wurlitzers, and Roland RE-201 tape delays. His solo albums serve as musical diaries of his travels, including journeys along the Mississippi River and through Mexico, experiences that have deepened his connection to the blues. With Árstíðir, he has earned acclaim for intricate vocal harmonies and a chamber-folk aesthetic that has taken the band to international stages. His work with the Singletons showcases a different side — raw, groove-driven blues in the tradition of J.J. Cale and Tony Joe White.