Birgit Ridderstedt (November 26, 1914 – September 16, 1985) was a Swedish-American folk singerDagens Nyheter (Stockholm), September 27, 1985, p. 45 who appeared at festivals and on television in the 1950s and early 1960s with material she produced herself.
Background Born in Ludvika, Sweden, a daughter of Stefan Anderson and Ragnhild Fredrika Sandberg, she emigrated with her husband C. Erik Ridderstedt and their two small sons Stefan and Lars-Erik to the United States in 1950, settling in Chicago and later in Batavia, Illinois.
Career Ridderstedt gave presentations on Scandinavian music and folklore on WTTWSammi King in Daily Herald: Keeping Swedish traditions alive December 20, 2013 and WGN television in Chicago in the 1950s and early 1960s. She began by assisting her husband's business as an importer of gift items and handcrafted artwork from Sweden.Expressen (Stockholm), July 19, 1953, p. 3(December 18, 1955) "Swedish Vase Will Be Placed in Boys Town" Chicago Sunday Tribune sect. 3 p. 7 She appeared on public service and commercial televisionTV Guide, June 6, 1959, p. A-38 in Chicago. On Polka Go-Round she featured young children singing Swedish songs and high school youths folk dancing.Aurora Beacon News (Illinois), December 31, 1960 When after 12 years Ridderstedt left Illinois, a total of 45 young people had been with her on some ten TV programs about such Scandinavian celebrations as Midsummer, Lucy Day and Passion Plays; she had also performed four times with her groups in the annual Swedish Days festivities of Geneva, Illinois, and had appeared with orations and songs for various organizations.Aurora Beacon News (Illinois) 2 juli 1961
Ridderstedt organized entertainment for festivals and parades in the Fox Valley (Illinois), and also opened her own gift shop.Chicago Tribune, October 10, 1985, p. 4-14 Ridderstedt returned to Sweden in 1962 with her family, but was also active in western Florida in the 1970s with her folk song programs.
The Ridderstedt couple lived in the Stockholm suburb of Täby after they retired; her husband died in 1982. Their grave is in Stora Tuna Churchyard.Official cemetery records as published by SVENSKA GRAVAR
Songs Ridderstedt wrote several songs of her own in the early 1950s, chapter pp. 109–119 Libris listingPlaylist at YouTube which have been registered with STIM.List at Stim (log-in required)
References