Although Mosjøen, Norway is half a world away from Music City USA, it wasn't far enough to prevent OJ Hanssen from becoming a country singer.  The former deputy sheriff who grew up a mere three hours from the Arctic Circle is fulfilling a lifelong dream by pursuing his career on a full time basis in America.
      How does a Norwegian schoolboy develop a passion for country music?  From his parents, of course, who were big country music fans.  In fact, OJ began learning English while singing along to favorites like Buck Owns, Skeeter Davis, Bobby Bare, Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Dean Martin and Gene Watson.
      He whetted his musical appetite by collecting records and acquiring books, magazines, videos, and memorabilia, anything to learn more about the heritage of country music and its stars.  Finding American country music recordings was no easy task in rural Norway, fueling OJ's determination to augment his collection by ordering albums from Great Britain, the US, and anyplace he could find them.  Today, he has amassed a holding of over 5000 recordings all of which he's pored over and studied.  The result: an amazing encyclopedic knowledge of the history of country music.
      As a youngster, OJ was always singing for his family.  While his parents would compliment him on his talent they never pushed him to pursue a career.  OJ himself took the initiative by entering a talent contest, which in turn resulted in an unforeseen opportunity.  OJ's vocal ability so impressed a producer involved in the contest that he was offered a

 
record deal.  "YOU MADE MY LIFE A SONG," OJ's first album was released in 1985 as an independent project in Norway.
     Pursuing a career in music on weekends, OJ became a deputy sheriff in his hometown.  During his 11-year tenure with the police force, he continued to record albums and tour throughout Scandinavia, steadily building a fanbase.
     Utilizing his contacts in law enforcement, OJ created specialized programs within the police department to target youth groups with his music. "I know there are many children raised under difficult circumstances, children who do not have a good life for many different reasons," he explains.  "My personal goal has always been to use my talent, my music, to help provide a positive role model for these young people."  He's also extremely active in charities benefiting the elderly.
     After the release of his fourth album in Europe, OJ received 10 European Country Music Association nominations in 1999. He took home awards as Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Song of the Year.  Two years later he was again awarded Male Vocalist of the Year and that year also received an award for Album of the Year.  The continuing success he found throughout Europe was the encouragement OJ needed to look to Nashville.
     He arrived and relocated here in the spring of 1999 and began recording his first US release during the summer of 2000.  His American debut release "WHAT'S IT GONNA TAKE" has sold over 5,000 copies. 
     After three years in Nashville he moved to East Tennessee where he performed six nights a week at Classic Country Theater in Pigeon Forge.  "It was a wonderful way to build a fanbase here in the States, and I just loved to walk out on that stage and croon number one hits from the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's," he explains. OJ quickly became a favorite among the Classic Country audiences, and many returned over and over again to see him perform.  During his tenure in East Tennessee, he produced and recorded two more albums on his own.  These albums proved to be very popular with the audiences at Classic Country.
      OJ has performed all over the US and is very popular especially with the Norwegian-American population, which numbers over 8 million in the US.  On four different occasions, he has performed to a crowd of over 80,000 people at Norsk Høstfest, a four-day Scandinavian festival in Minot, ND.  There he opened for such acts as the Oak Ridge Boys, Anne Murray, Charley Pride, Kenny Rogers, and Ray Price.