Erik Bye, 78; Entertainer Appeared on Norway’s State Radio and TV
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Erik Bye, 78, one of Norway’s most beloved entertainers, known for his poetry, stories, sailor songs and appearances on radio and television, died Wednesday after a long illness.
Bye became a household name in Norway through his appearances on the state radio and television network NRK, often performing traditional sailor songs.
After World War II, he returned to the United States to study, receiving a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1953.
He returned to Norway and worked as a journalist, including a stint as news editor for the Associated Press bureau in Oslo from 1953 to 1955 and as a reporter for the British Broadcasting Corp. until 1958. He joined state broadcaster NRK and worked there until he retired in 1996.
Bye wrote 14 books and released 19 albums featuring his own songs and traditional music.
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