There was a lovely radio moment earlier this week. The great Gary Richardson was filing his last sports reports for The Today Programme and his colleagues put together 50 years of his radio interviews and announcements. The love was pouring out of the wireless and it was a great listen. Like many of the radio greats before him he acknowledged his audience and thanked ‘the listener.’
His thank you was well placed as I recounted the times I have heard his voice alone in my kitchen or in my car or on my earpods. Radio…as the great Terry Wogan knew so well…is a singular experience. We broadcast as one voice and we usually listen alone. I can recall many radio moments over the years where I have cried, laughed, shouted and simply wished it could all happen again immediately. In the grand old days of listening to Radio One on 247 Medium Wave where you’d miss the back announcement if your dad’s car went under a railway bridge there was always the possibility that Tony Blackburn would love a song so much he’d simply play it again. Later in the evening on John Peel I loved the fact that he’d simply play a new significant album all the way through. I still recall that’s how I first heard Joni’s ‘The Hissing Of Summer Lawns.’
I’m probably not alone in my generation of still loving to hear football commentary on the radio and over the course of recent summers I’ve become addicted to Test Match Special for all its meanderings and whimsy. That’s why, on any given Tuesday, I like to think that I’m in my room playing records to a friend to whom I’ve just said, ‘Listen to this.’ It’s the way we all discovered records we ended up loving. So not only am I going to acknowledge the great radio people here but I need to give a shout out to my pals: Rod for Heads Hands and Feet, Alan for Can’t Buy A Thrill and Charlie for that first spin of Prefab Sprout’s Swoon. That’s just the early years; there have been so many more.
This week in a sprit of reciprocation I want to introduce you to some new things from old friends as well as a couple of new artists who are new to us too. You’ll hear wonderful new records from Mindy Smith who is back to her finest form after a long number of years, Bonny Light Horseman, Caylee Hammack and Tenille Townes. We will also remind you of the special talent of KD Lang who will be inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame at this coming weekend’s awards in Edmonton. It’s all in a two hour invitation to my room where I plan to make you fall in love with records to cherish for the rest of your life. You’ll find that room any time from 8 p.m. on BBC Sounds or BBC Radio Scotland. Join me if you can
