Biography
The Family Four was a Swedish pop group. This quartet was formed in 1964 by the Öst family (Berndt, Inger, Siw and Stig) in Gothenburg. Over the years, the line up would change very oftem, including after Stig’s death in 1966. Together with Anna Öst in they had success with the song “Nicolina ” in the Swedish charts in 1965.
The most successful group constellation was established in 1969 by Berndt Öst, Agnetha Munther , Marie Bergman and Pierre Isacsson. They won Melodifestivalen twice, and represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971 and 1972.
In 1973 they played in the “comedy humor musical” ‘Ryck mig i väskan’, a collaboration between SR, BBC, YLE and NRK.
After a few albums the group split up. Monica Aspelund succeeded Marie Bergman for a short period, and she was replaced by Ann-Kristin “Anki” Nilsson.
Berndt Öst continued to perform during the 1970-1980s with different variants of the Family Four concept.
One of the groups that emerged after the split was Family Four Singers which, in addition to Berndt Öst, included Agnetha Munther, Gilla Rydén, Peo Jönis, Frank Andersson, Anders Rexbo, Kenneth Staag and Jens Wallin.
After their breakup both Marie Bergman and Pierre Isacsson went on to successful solo careers. Marie Bergman represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1994, together with Roger Pontare.
Pierre Einar Isacsson died on September 1994, aged 46, during the disaster with ms Estonia in the Baltic Sea.
Berndt Öst died on July 10, 2017, aged 87.
