Sad to read that ex BBC Radio 3 World Routes presenter Andy Kershaw has died of cancer. A great ambassador for world music. I think he introduced the Zimbabwae legends the Bhundu Boys to the UK. BBC News.
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This is very sad indeed. A flawed individual but with an enthusiasm and an investigative knowledge of world music that widened my record collection immensely. I will always remember his shows and the Swedish Elvis with great fondness. May he be at peace now.
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OMG he got me into so many world music artist RIP
Martin
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Oh, very sad. He took over from Peel as the most influential DJ for me and my record collection is all the better for that influence. His two Great/More Great Moments In Vinyl History albums pretty much sum him up. R.I.P
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An alternative voice on the radio. I loved his Sunday evening World Music show. From the BBC website:
His distinctive take on life and humour could also be seen when he released a statement after learning of his cancer diagnosis.
Saying he was in âgood spiritsâ, he joked: âI am determined not to die before Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Antâ n 'Dec. That should keep me going for a while.â
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Sad to hear this. RIP Andy.
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As others have said, took over from John Peel for me. R.I.P. Andy
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One of the few DJs (along with Peel) that introduced me to music Iâd probably have never found any other way.
Made an important musical impact undoubtedly.
Oh when Iâm in my grave and dead
And all my sorrows are past and fled
Transform me then into a fish
And let me swim in a jug of this
.sjb
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Sad to hear of Andyâs passing.
His enthusiasm for some of the less well known music genres opened many doors for me.
R.I.P. Andy, and many thanks for all the choons.
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Such sad news I loved his Radio 1 shows back in the day and all the new music I got into from him like World music with the Bhundu Boys and Ted Hawkins the Busker he discovered playing on Venice Beach in America.And went on to manage.And all the new Paisley Underground bands he championed from that emerging American scene. I know he battled drink after his marriage split up and was in an extremely dark place with no access to his children.
R.I.P Andy and all your enthusiasm and the superb music that I would have missed if it wasnât for you.
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Reading the BBC news announcement on their site Dave .Reading your post and the new music that so many people discovered through him .
This struck me â On his broadcasting philosophy, he talked about how his mentor John Walters had influenced him,saying Weâre here to give the public what it didnât know it wanted â
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Introduced me to this wonderful cover version: always grateful for that.
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Andy was a Natalie Merchant fan. Here she is with Jonie Mitchellâs âAll I Wantâ (Andy Kershaw, BBC1 1996) Intro from the man himself.
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Iâve got a feeling that this sentiment comes from John Reith, founder of the BBC? It is certainly in line with his views.
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Iâve a fond memory of Kershaw starting a session with âWelcome to Radio 3 - Iâm Verity SharpâŚâ delivered in his broadest Rochdale accent. It clearly amused him to be amongst colleagues with multiple music degrees and cutglass accents. With luck âMusic Planetâ with survive any impending BBC purges.
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One of only two DJs worth my time. The other being Peel. Led me into so-called ââworld musicâ but gave me two or three musical moments late at night which literally stopped me in my tracks.
Les Mystere Des Voix Bulgares.
Ted Hawkins.
Throwing Muses.
All the other wonderful stuff such as the Bhundu Boys and the Malhotella Queens.
Musically a great loss. Fair to say that on the personal side he clearly became quite a difficult person to like but Iâm not a believer in judging people by the worst thing they did.
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He had a unique way of saying âJohn Chibiduraâ. Really enjoyed his Sunday night R1 world music show, so much so that I bought my first tuner to appreciate it fully. Then the show got cancelled a few weeks later.
Sometimes the BBC gives the impression it doesnât know what makes it distinctive and different.
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Andy Kershaw was the guest on Desert Island Disks in 2007.
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Very sad to hear this news. His independence and irrepressible enthusiasm will stay with me as a marker of what good broadcasting can be.
I loved his Sunday evening radio programme in the late eighties in my A&R A60/T21 years.
Working away at the moment but will play Peter Caseâs vinyl record of The Man with the Blue Post-Modern Fragmented Neo-Traditionalist Guitar when Iâm home on Monday evening, in Andyâs memory.
RIP
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Very sad to hear this. Andy was a great presenter on TV & Radio as I was growing up and particularly exploring music outside of the main commercial POP productions that were being pushed and promoted at the time.
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