Thor Raymond Zetterstrøm, born in Stavanger in 1919 and passing away in 1982, is widely recognized for his contributions to Norwegian music under the artist name Thor Raymond. He is noted as Norway's first cowboy singer, a persona he fully embraced in 1952, and achieved significant commercial success with the song "A Letter with Three Loving Words," performed alongside Åse Wentzel, which sold 67,000 copies. However, a case of tendonitis in his left arm during the early 1960s ultimately curtailed his musical career.

Before World War II, Thor Raymond's journey into music began in a photograph studio owned by his uncle in Kongsgata, Stavanger. Self-taught as a musician, he found solace in performing simple melodies at local shows. His early career included performing as a soloist and dance musician with his friend Rasmus Dahl, as well as serving as a guest artist in reviews produced by cousins Gilbert and Odd Kjell Helgeland in Haugesund during 1947 and 1948.

Raymond's significant breakthrough came in 1952 when he adopted a cowboy persona and released his own songs, including "A Cheerful Cowboy Song" and "Yippi Ai," which quickly garnered sales of 10,000 records. This success paved the way for a string of popular tracks such as "Old Black," "Buldrende Buffalo," "Banjo Bill from Arizona," "Cowboydansen," "The Lonely Cowboy," "Cowboy Farewell," and "Red River Valley."

In 1954, he discovered the song "Vaya Con Dios" while listening to the Hit Parade on the American Forces Network (AFN). Inspired, he wrote Norwegian lyrics and recorded the song in Oslo with Åse Wentzel. This collaboration quickly elevated him to the status of Norway's most sought-after gramophone artist, and "Vaya Con Dios" remains a beloved melody even decades later.

The duo's partnership yielded further success, culminating in the release of "A Letter with Three Loving Words" in 1955, which became Thor Raymond's most commercially successful record, selling 67,000 copies. This was followed by several other notable songs, including "Today I've Burned My Love Letters," "A Little Apartment," "In a Small Cafe," "My Secret Honeymoon," "I Love Your Smile," "Loving, Loving Thoughts," "Midnight Roll," "It's Going to Be Very Little," and "Send a Greeting Home," many of which were featured in NRK's Wish Concert for years.

During this period, Raymond and Wentzel were in competition with prominent artists such as Alf Prøysen, Kurt Foss, Reidar Bøe, The Monn Keys, Sisters Bjørklund, and Jens Book-Jenssen. The 1950s stood out as Thor Raymond's peak decade as a recording artist, but his career came to an abrupt end in the early 1960s due to his arm injury. He subsequently transitioned into a role as a photo consultant, traveling throughout the country to advise on the restoration and coloring of old photographs.

During this time, he resided in Oslo before relocating to a small farm in Toten. After spending 15 years there, he moved to Jelsa in Ryfylke to be closer to his son and his family, and eventually settled in Sola and Klepp. In 1970, he participated in a radio show titled "Back to the 50's" at Atlantic Hall, marking his return to the stage with "Old Black," showcasing his enduring voice and familiar guitar chords.