Firefighters found Zetterlund's charred body in her bed Thursday night, after a fire broke out in her central Stockholm apartment. It was not clear what sparked the blaze, but Swedish media reports said she had been smoking in bed.
Zetterlund was born Monica Nilsson on Sept. 20, 1937. After beginning her career as the singer in her father's band, Zetterlund recorded more than 20 records, from Swedish Sensation in 1958 to Bill Remembered in 2000.
Widely praised at home for singing jazz in Swedish, she won international acclaim after touring the United States in 1960, where she performed on the Steve Allen Show. Later, she made recordings with trumpet player Thad Jones and saxophonist Zoot Sims. Her most famous record is the classic “Waltz for Debby," made in 1964 with pianist Bill Evans.
As an actress, Zetterlund starred in more than a dozen Swedish movies, TV-series and stage plays, including the film adaptation of Vilhelm Moberg's books The Emigrants and The New Land.
Zetterlund suffered from scoliosis, a disabling disease that twists the spine, making it difficult to move. During the last years of her career, she often had to be helped onto the stage, and sang sitting down.
In a TV interview in 2000, she said the disease was keeping her largely confined to her apartment.
“In my dreams, I run like I used to, and life is easy and filled with pleasure," she told Sweden's TV4.
She was married three times and had one daughter, actress Eva-Lena Zetterlund, from her first marriage.
In addition to her daughter, survivors include her partner, Magnus Roger.
-- Associated Press
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