Just picked up his sad death from the Guardian, quite young, from cancer. I don’t think there may be a lot of people on the forum who would have been listening to him in the times, he was somewhat touted as the next John Peel, I remember him though with his avid playing of world music - much African, John Peel of course ‘discovering’ the Bhundu Boys - Andy took it a great step further I thought.
And he also did good turns at Glastonbury over the years. John Peel was the legend, that doesn’t reduce Andy in any way. As these great DJ discoverers pass on, who nowadays is taking up the torch I wonder?
Posting the BBC news item as well.
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Sad news, loved his shows and taped some to play in the car while commuting. Thought that was in the Noughties, but just read in the obit that his contract was terminated in 2000, so my memory must be fading…
Didn’t he have some sort of breakdown and then his younger sister popped up with a similarly eclectic radio show?
His sister is Liz Kershaw.
Andy Kershaw had an injunction against him, which he broke, protecting a former partner, I think.
I was aware of the name but not familiar with his work, not being a R 1 or even R 2 listener, but I was surprised to find out that he had a second career as a foreign correspondent. Not the usual path to that hallowed calling.
He broadcast a lot on R3, the ‘World Music’ strand. He had a 1hr+ show on Saturday afternoons back in the '90’s. He spent time in Africa recording and introducing us to Malian ‘Desert Blues’.
When his condition was in the news some weeks ago he said he just wanted to outlive Trump and Elon ‘Swastikars’ Musk.
And what is the BBC doing to celebrate his contribution?
I can’t find anything.
There was a man, Charlie someone (forgot his surname)* who used to host World Music on the World Service some years back. He was excellent, I used to listen to him when I was driving at night in the lorry but he died some years back, maybe Andy Kershaw took over that spot, but it wasn’t only classical music.
*Gillett
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