Spring has sprung on Radio 2

This Spring, BBC Radio 2 brings Claudia, Ken, country and comedy, with music specials on The Beatles and Duran Duran, a 50s music series presented by Ricky Wilson, Trevor Nelson meets the divas, Huey Morgan with a Latin music adventure, mix tapes from Oti Mabuse and Vicky McClure, plus jazz specials from Jamie Cullum and Seb Coe and lots more!

Entertainment remains at the heart of Radio 2, and this Spring we present treats for listeners of every age. — Helen Thomas

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"I jumped at the chance to interview Simon, John, Nick and Roger to celebrate 40 glorious years of music." — Claudia Winkleman

Claudia Winkleman presents a two-part special, Duran at 40. Super-fan Claudia celebrates forty years of the band with an intimate look at the greatest songs from their career. Claudia takes a deep dive with Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor to uncover the stories and lyrics behind their incredible catalogue of hits. Formed in Birmingham in 1978, the Wild Boys have sold over 100 million records worldwide, achieved 14 UK top ten singles and have won numerous awards including two Brits, two Grammy awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (9-10pm, Saturday 10 and 17 April).

A Listen production

Claudia says: “My heart skipped a little faster when I first saw Duran Duran performing Planet Earth on Top of the Pops. How resplendent they looked in pixie boots, leather trousers and frilly shirts that day in 1981. My heart has been theirs ever since so I jumped at the chance to interview Simon, John, Nick and Roger to celebrate 40 glorious years of music.”

Claudia launched her new Saturday morning show last weekend with guests including Tom Jones, David Walliams and Ant and Dec. Her guests for the next show include singer and ’Sausage’ Joss Stone, and Scarlett Moffatt (Saturdays, 10am-1pm).

A TBI Media production

Comedy

Coming to Radio 2 are four new comedy shows as part of the BBC’s Festival of Funny (9-10pm, Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March).

The Delightful Sausage on: Staycations

The Delightful Sausage - aka Christopher Cantrill and Amy Gledhill - are bringing their Edinburgh Fringe Best Show nominated double act to Radio 2 with a travelogue unearthing some of the UK’s most unique staycations.

The cast is Amy Gledhill, Chris Cantrill, Gabby Best, Ibinabo Jack, Paul Dunphy and Nicola Redman.

Written by Chris Cantrill and Amy Gledhill and produced by Hannah Moulder for Various Artists Ltd

Tommy Tiernan on: Beards

Stand-up comedian Tommy Tiernan is perplexed to know ‘just when does a beard become a beard?’ To discover the answer, he roots about the facial hair of everyone from Roy Keane to Karl Marx in this half hour of meditative comedy from one of the masters of the art.

Produced by Mabinog Productions

Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Secret Desires

Written and performed by Chortle Awards winner and Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee Kiri Pritchard-Mclean in which she explores all the things she’s missed whilst living in isolation. Featuring audience stories, Kiri will unpick the awkward moments of life that we so weirdly desire… Hen do anyone?

Produced by Suzy Grant for BBC Studios

The Empire

The Empire is set in Imperial India where the new district magistrate of Darjeeling grapples with the responsibilities of his new post with the help - and sometimes hindrance - of his colleagues. The cast features Stephen Fry as Viceroy, Alexander Owen as Albright, Rasika Dugal as Sapna, Anuvab Pal as Harbans and Michelle Gomez as Mrs Campbell.

It is written by Arnuvab Pal and produced by Ed Morrish for Channel X

Radio 2 celebrates Country

Text reads Radio 2 celebrates Country
Radio 2 celebrates Country
Although we’ve not been able to experience the joy of live country gigs and festivals this past year, Radio 2 has continued to shine a light on the country music scene throughout that time with live music sessions on my weekly radio show, some of the latest releases on our playlist and now an even bigger celebration in March on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
— Bob Harris
Radio 2 celebrates country music with a season of specials and archive concerts, with all the programmes available as a special box set collection on BBC Sounds.

Host of The Radio 2 Country Show, Bob Harris, says: “Although we’ve not been able to experience the joy of live country gigs and festivals this past year, Radio 2 has continued to shine a light on the country music scene throughout that time with live music sessions on my weekly radio show, some of the latest releases on our playlist and now an even bigger celebration in March on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.”

Bob Harris presents The CMA Songwriters Series

Bob Harris presents The CMA Songwriters Series is an exclusive, specially-recorded Nashville studio session featuring some of the Country Music Association’s biggest contemporary songwriters. The artists artists - Cam, Ashley McBryde, Brett Young and Shy Carter - will be telling the stories behind their songs and performing them acoustically (Thursday 11 March, 9pm).

Milly Olykan, CMA Vice President, International Relations and Development, says: “We are thrilled to collaborate with BBC to present a CMA Songwriters Series show. BBC Radio 2’s power to drive the discovery of artists has been particularly impactful to Country artists since the pandemic, and their support of the Country to Country festival over the years has made it possible for audiences across the UK to appreciate how broad the contemporary music of Nashville really is. Now with BBC’s support, we are excited to bring this special experience to a much wider audience for the very first time.”

A BBC Audio production

C2C: Country to Country Revisited

Bob also presents C2C: Country to Country Revisited a two-hour show remembering some of the best moments and featuring highlights from the past seven years of C2C Country to Country, the UK’s biggest country music festival. Following the cancellation of the 2021 event, Bob looks back on some the great London performances from previous years, when line-ups have included Thomas Rhett, Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves and Kelsea Ballerini (Sunday 14 March 7-9pm).

A BBC Audio production

Radio 2 House Music

Ken Bruce introduces a new Radio 2 House Music performance - the strand created to bring listeners live music during lockdown - with Luke Combs accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Luke, who is one of the world's biggest country stars right now, will perform from his home in Nashville. After a record-breaking 12 months for the five times CMA award winner, he made history recently by becoming the first artist to achieve ten successive number one singles on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart, hot on the heels of becoming the first artist ever to have their first two studio albums spend 25 weeks or more at number one on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, breaking Taylor Swift’s previously held record (9.30am-12pm, Friday 12 March).

A BBC Audio production

First Name Basis with Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini is recognised as one of the most influential women in country music today, and she joins Radio 2 and BBC Sounds fresh off the back of her sixth No. 1 single in the US.

In a new 12-part series, every week she’ll be playing the very best of today’s country music from Nashville, blurring genre lines and letting listeners in on the stories from behind the scenes of Music City, which only an insider can know.

Kelsea released two acclaimed albums in lockdown last year and has consistently made history since the start of her career. Following the release of her debut album, she became the only female country artist to hit No. 1 with the first three consecutive singles from a debut album. She has platinum and gold album certifications, a career total of 12 gold and platinum singles certifications and has accumulated total streams exceeding two billion to date.

Kelsea has garnered two Grammy Award nominations, won two ACM Awards and has received multiple career nominations from the ACM Awards, American Music Awards, CMA Awards, CMT Awards and the People’s Choice Awards. She has also been welcomed as the Grand Ole Opry's youngest current member. Kelsea additionally collaborated with the Chainsmokers to produce the huge dancefloor hit, This Feeling, and also appeared at Radio 2’s Festival In A Day in Hyde Park and the C2C Festival in London, Glasgow and Dublin.

Radio 2 Celebrates Country Music… In Concert

Radio 2 Celebrates Country Music… In Concert takes a deep dive into the BBC’s archive to unearth ten of the greatest UK performances from country stars of the last 50 years. The shows include Emmylou Harris & The Hot Band, recorded at London’s New Victoria Theatre in 1975; honky-tonk pioneer Dwight Yoakam at the Half Moon, Putney in 1986; Charley Pride, who died in December 2020, performing 30 years of hits at Symphony Hall Birmingham in 1995; Glen Campbell performing with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Mermaid Theatre in London in 2008; Nanci Griffith and the Blue Moon Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in 1994; Willie Nelson at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios in 1998, and Dolly Parton in performing at 2014’s Glastonbury.

Airing overnight on Radio 2, listen to them all for 30 days after broadcast on BBC Sounds and hear a two hour highlights programme from these concerts on Radio 2 on Sunday 21 March at 7pm.

A BBC Audio production

The Blues Show

Join Cerys Matthews on The Blues Show as she heads out of the city and embraces country blues. Expect some Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Mississippi John Hurt, some jug band music, yodelling, and picking on porches… Yee ha! So bring your boots and get ready to buck dance (9-10pm, Monday 15 March).

A Somethin’ Else production

In addition to Radio 2 celebrating Country, BBC Four will be airing a duo of programmes, both of which will be available after transmission on BBC iPlayer...

Dolly Parton at Glastonbury 2014

BBC Four is broadcasting Dolly Parton at Glastonbury 2014, her complete set from her performance on the Pyramid Stage in the now traditional Sunday afternoon legends spot. As the Somerset sunshine shone, and in front of one of the biggest and most enthusiastic crowds that Stage has ever seen, Dolly performed a rousing and crowd thrilling set which included self-penned classics Jolene, Coat of Many Colours, 9 to 5, Islands in the Stream and I Will Always Love You. An incredible moment that the Glastonbury crowd will never forget!

A BBC Studios-Glastonbury Ltd co-production

Country Kings at the BBC

BBC Four also broadcasts Country Kings at the BBC featuring classic male country singers from the BBC vaults, from the Everly Brothers and Jerry Lee Lewis to Garth Brooks and Willie Nelson, and featuring classic songs and performances by Glen Campbell, Charley Pride, George Hamilton IV, Kenny Rogers, Clint Black, Johnny Cash, Eric Church and more. This 50 years-plus compilation is a chronological look at Country Kings as featured on BBC studio shows ranging from Radio 2 In Concert, Wogan, The Late Show and Later with Jools Holland, plus early variety shows presented by the likes of Lulu, Harry Secombe and Shirley Abicair.

Radio 2 House Music

Ken Bruce introduces more Radio 2 House Music performances, the strand created to bring listeners live music during lockdown. The BBC Concert Orchestra will accompany Passenger (Thursday 25 March), Lola Lennon (Thursday 15 April) and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man (Thursday 22 April).

Passenger - aka Mike Rosenberg and fresh from the success of his recent number two album Songs For The Drunk & Broken Hearted - performs from his UK home with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Passenger started off busking and shot to fame almost a decade ago with the worldwide hit, Let Her Go, which has had 1.2 billion streams on Spotify and he is the third most Shazam-ed artist of all time. His recent thirteenth album reached number two, just behind Barry Gibb.

Lola Lennox, one of 2021's most hotly tipped artists, performs from home alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra. Lola will be releasing her debut EP in the coming weeks, featuring singles La La Love Me and Back At Wrong. Lola started playing the piano and singing from seven years old; wrote songs from the age of 15, and earned a place at the Royal Academy of Music. 2020 saw her duet with her mother, Annie Lennox, for their much talked about performance of There Must Be An Angel for Global Citizen One World: Together At Home to an audience of over 270 million viewers.

Three-time Brit award-winning singer/songwriter, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, performs from his home studio in an exclusive collaboration with the BBC Concert Orchestra. His new album, Life By Misadventure, is the follow-up to his two million-selling debut Human. Rag ‘n’ Bone Man will perform tracks from both albums during this hugely anticipated Radio 2 House Music session.

Our first All Day Popmaster was one of the highlights of the first lockdown. We're hoping we can bring a little competitive fun into people's lives once again this year - but you'll have to know your Asia from your Europe and your Gorillaz from your Arctic Monkeys!
— Ken Bruce
Additionally, 'one year out’ from Ken’s first ever All Day PopMaster, it will return bigger and better in 2021 as more big name celebrities take on Radio 2 listeners across the late May Bank Holiday Monday (Monday 31 May).

Ken says: “Our first All Day Popmaster was one of the highlights of the first lockdown. We're hoping we can bring a little competitive fun into people's lives once again this year - but you'll have to know your Asia from your Europe and your Gorillaz from your Arctic Monkeys!”

A BBC Audio production

My Life in a Mix Tape

Further to the success of Ant and Dec’s My Life in a Mix Tape, reigning Strictly champion alongside contestant Bill Bailey, Oti Mabuse (9-10pm, Saturday 20 March) and Line of Duty actor Vicky McClure (9-10pm, Saturday 27 March) each tell their story through music.

Strictly Come Dancing Champion, Oti Mabuse, has created a very personal mix-tape. With Dame Shirley Bassey being one of her earliest memories, music has always played a huge part in her life. From Miriam Makeba to Dua Lipa and back to Bon Jovi, it would be hard to be grumpy in Oti’s company and impossible not to dance! As she journeys from childhood to the present day, listeners will hear the music that has been the soundtrack to Oti’s life, with the music and stories providing the perfect companion for a Saturday night. Produced by BBC Audio Scotland.

On Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba, Oti says: “[It was] always played by my dad, every morning on weekends, he’d open all the windows of the house, play this song and start dancing!”

Vicky has raided her entire record collection to create her mix-tape. Each song evoking a memory of a time, a person or place, we travel from childhood to present day hearing the tunes that have been the soundtrack to her life. With legendary artists like Queen, The Carpenters and Aretha, Vicky admits she ‘is an old soul’, but throw in Missy Elliot, Beyoncé, Usher and Kylie and you realise she’s an old soul who can dance! Vicky’s selection is a wonderful mix of legendary singers and pop icons, woven together with warmth.

On selecting The Carpenters, Vicky says: “I fell in love with her [Karen Carpenter], I’m still fully in love with her now, and the music.’ Rainy Days and Mondays, as depressing as it might be, sometimes it’s the only song I need.”

Easter

At the Foot of the Cross

On Good Friday, Dan Walker hosts At the Foot of the Cross, a star studded evening of music and poetry to mark the day that Jesus died, bringing together writers and musicians recording from their own homes in lockdown. Artists including Newton Faulkner, Alexandra Burke and The Kingdom Choir join the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra for one night only, creating brand new recordings. West End star Marisha Wallace speaks about the hope brought by her recording of Tomorrow, and MOBO award winner, Called Out Music, performs his own tracks recorded at his home studio, plus performances from the BBC Young Chorister of the Year, Alexander, and BBC Young Chorister finalists, Josie and Leah.

After a year of sacrifice, suffering, loneliness and grief, Dan hears moving accounts from people who have inspired others, who have battled with forgiveness, who have been supported by their faith and have come through to look towards a brighter future. This year has seen ordinary people doing extraordinary things and that will be celebrated throughout the evening. These themes are echoed in the Good Friday story which is brought to life again with new writing from some of Britain’s most exciting writers including poetry slam champion, Harry Baker, Malika Booker, Jay Hulme and Tobi Olujinmi (7-9pm, Friday 2 April).

A BBC Audio production

Girl Bands vs Boy Bands: The Solo Years

Following on from Richie Anderson’s successful Christmas special, Girl Bands vs Boy Bands, he’s back with the next instalment - Girl Bands vs Boy Bands: The Solo Years! When the heady days of riding high in a chart-topping boy band or girl band come to an end, what's the next step? Well, if your agent can't get them in the jungle, they might have to take a chance on... A SOLO CAREER. Turns out that some of the world's greatest artists are girl band or boy band graduates.

This one-off show will celebrate life after the band, hearing from the stars at the centre of it all, as well as finding out how Radio 2’s listeners coped with these breaks-ups and continued to support the band members in their individual endeavours. Richie and guests will celebrate girl band and boy band royalty with music from the likes of Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, George Michael, Robbie Williams, Cheryl, Harry Styles, Camilla Cabello, Diana Ross, Nicole Scherzinger, Alesha Dixon, Belinda Carlisle… and who can forget Victoria Beckham's iconic number two back in the year 2000, narrowly beaten to the top spot by Sophie Ellis-Bextor in a chart battle the press dubbed 'Posh vs Posh.' There's a few surprises too, such as Ricky Martin who started in Latino boy band Menudo and Pink who cut her teeth in little known 90s girl band, Choice (2-5pm, Friday 2 April).

A BBC Audio production

Tony Blackburn’s Golden Hours

Broadcasting on the radio is what I love to do so now I've had my vaccine I’m over the moon to be broadcasting live from Wogan House on Good Friday in this two hour special!
— Tony Blackburn
Afterwards, Tony Blackburn returns for his first live programme from Wogan House since Spring 2020, with an earlier double dose of his usual Friday night musical knees up - Tony Blackburn’s Golden Hours. He’ll be presenting a mix of the best tunes ever made, from Motown onwards, in this Good Friday special (5-7pm, Friday 2 April).

Tony says: “Broadcasting on the radio is what I love to do so now I've had my vaccine I’m over the moon to be broadcasting live from Wogan House on Good Friday in this two hour special!"

A 7digital production

Kielty’s Greatest Covers

On Easter Monday, join Patrick Kielty for Kielty’s Greatest Covers featuring two hours of the best music covers ever made (midday-2pm, Friday 2 and Monday 5 April).

A BBC Audio production

Songs That Bring You Joy

Please join me for the happiest show on the radio.
— Gaby Roslin
After what has proved to be a challenging year for everyone, Gaby Roslin arrives at Radio 2 with a special show - Songs That Bring You Joy (aka the happiest show on radio!) on Easter Monday. Featuring a range of songs to perk you up and make you feel good, Gaby will be playing uplifting tracks (2-5pm, Monday 5 April).

Gaby says: “I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be hosting my own show on Radio 2. This Easter we will be spreading the joy by playing the most uplifting songs we can find. Please join me for the happiest show on the radio.”

A BBC Audio production

Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco

Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco returns with Sophie bringing the best party tracks from the 70s to now, from her place to yours. So get dressed up for a disco-tastic dance-fest at home as we celebrate the longer days and (hopefully) some Spring sunshine… Bunny ears optional (5-7pm, Monday 5 April)!

A Listen production

Jazz

Jamie Cullum

Jazz fans can look forward to a special edition of Jamie Cullum’s show following what would have been the weekend of Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Jamie’s tenth appearance at the festival. Jamie has highlights from this year’s online festival and classic live tracks from previous years (9-10pm, Tuesday 4 May 2021).

A Folded Wing production

A Day Without Jazz Is Like A Day Without Running

Jazz music has been one of the great loves of my life for as long as I can remember, and I'm really delighted at this chance to share that passion with the Radio 2 audience.
— Seb Coe
Seb Coe presents A Day Without Jazz Is Like A Day Without Running. Seb’s extraordinary life has been sound-tracked by the music he loves… As a schoolboy he would borrow jazz records from Sheffield Public Library, before he saved enough to buy his first, treasured Brubeck LP. Aged 14 he set off solo to the North Sea Jazz festival to see some of the artists he worshipped. Minutes before his legendary 1500 metres win at the Moscow Olympics he was listening to Sidney Bechet. He was in a Chicago jazz club until the early hours of the morning before, a day later, heading to Los Angeles for the start of the 1984 Olympic Games where he would defend his title. And the night before the crucial presentation in Singapore which won the 2012 Olympics for London, he lay on his hotel bed listening to Jimmy Rowles. His sporting career took him countless times behind the Iron Curtain where he discovered brilliant, experimental jazz barely known in the West. And he would accept race invitations based largely on whether there was a good jazz club near the stadium.

This show will be recorded amongst his remarkable jazz record collection. Every album he pulls from the shelf comes with a story attached. He loves the music, but also the artwork, the sleeve notes, the smell and the sound of the vinyl. From a choice of thousands he picks his favourites from Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, George Melly, Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins and many more as he tells his remarkable story alongside this beautiful score. And yes, that Brubeck album is still on his shelves and will be brought out for the show!

Seb says: "Jazz music has been one of the great loves of my life for as long as I can remember, and I'm really delighted at this chance to share that passion with the Radio 2 audience. When I walked out to the start of the 1500 metres in Moscow, I had Sidney Bechet still playing in my head. The only problem will be choosing a dozen or so tracks from the thousands in my collection.”

Radio 2 will also air jazz documentaries including Kylie on Blossom Dearie, in which Kylie Minogue pays personal tribute to the jazz singer and pianist, an iconic figure of the cabaret circuit in New York, Paris and London; and Craig Charles on Miles Davis in Miles Plugs In where Craig explores the extraordinary music he produced in the period dubbed the ‘Electric Era’ from 1969-75.

The Beatles: Reversing Into The Future

25 years ago, The Beatles wrapped up their past and discovered a future when, in late 1995 and early 1996, the Anthology series - three double CDs and a multi-part TV documentary - came out. As a result, The Beatles sold more records in a single year than at any point since they broke up. To millions of younger fans they were a new band and thus a new generation of Beatle fans were born. Geoff Lloyd tells the story of the Anthology and talks to some of those new fans to discover why The Beatles became teen sensations all over again, 30 years after Beatlemania.

The success of the Anthology also kick started a whole legacy business for the music industry, and with the advent of file sharing and digital downloads came the musical era of the eternal present: when everything is available all the time and the only thing that matters is - is it any good? Geoff explores how artists can buy into that if they’re a musician with a past. The biggest names of the time have an obvious advantage, but how to hold onto the big new audience who’ve suddenly discovered you? Guests include Martin Freeman, Jools Holland, James Bradley (Game of Thrones), Liam Gallagher, Mae Martin (Feel Good), Nish Kumar, Elis James, Giles Martin (son of George; Beatle reissue producer), Jeff Jampol (the man behind bands such as The Doors). The Beatles and Yoko Ono will feature from archive (due to broadcast in May).

A BBC Audio production

Trevor Nelson Divas

I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world to interview some of the biggest names in music, and I have a few stories to tell! I’ll be lifting the lid on what goes on behind the scenes and reliving some of these classic interviews.
— Trevor Nelson
Trevor Nelson Divas is a new eight-part series coming soon to Radio 2 and on BBC Sounds from Monday 22 March. Throughout his career Trevor has interviewed some of the best-loved musicians in the world, and along the way has gained intimate insights into their lives both on and off stage. These global superstars are hugely talented and celebrated, dedicated and driven, and are under huge pressure to deliver - the next smash hit single, the sell-out world tour. They are often also surrounded by sprawling entourages and their reputations can make them seem less than welcoming. However, over many years, these stars have come to trust Trevor completely, so what you’ll hear are in-depth, candid conversations with the divas.

Trevor says: “I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world to interview some of the biggest names in music, and I have a few stories to tell! I’ll be lifting the lid on what goes on behind the scenes and reliving some of these classic interviews.”

The series celebrates Mariah Carey, who talks to Trevor on her private jet, as well as P Diddy, Beyoncé and more. Episode 1 explores the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. The hardest working man in showbiz didn’t care if people hated his politics, and his personal life was a car crash, but he had an undeniably huge influence on musical history. As Trevor notes, “without [James] there would be no hip hop”.

A BBC Audio production

Ricky Wilson’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Classics

Rock ‘n’ roll has become a shorthand phrase to encompass anything rebellious, fractious or care free. But it's history for me runs much deeper than that.
— Ricky Wilson
Kaiser Chiefs' frontman Ricky Wilson has a real passion for 50s and early 60s rock ‘n’ roll and presents a new three-part series, Ricky Wilson’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Classics, playing music from the likes of Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Duane Eddy, Bo Diddley and many more. The death last year of Little Richard brought his music, and 50s rock ‘n’ roll, to a whole new audience so this series will bring the best music of the era to both new and older fans (on Sunday 11, 18 and 25 April, with a further three parts this summer).

Ricky says: "Rock ‘n’ roll has become a shorthand phrase to encompass anything rebellious, fractious or care free. But it's history for me runs much deeper than that. It represents a freedom that comes with expressing yourself through trying to break from expectations of how you are 'supposed' to do things. That's what the pioneers were doing, they learned the rules in order to break them and changed the world in the process. The last art form that had done that were the impressionist painters, and although they shook up the art world, the rock 'n' rollers would have an impact that is still evolving today.”

Produced by Made in Manchester

Eurovision

As recently announced, The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final will take place on Saturday 22 May in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and will be broadcast live on BBC One with commentary by Graham Norton, and live on Radio 2 with commentary from Ken Bruce. Ken Bruce will be also be previewing Eurovision on his Radio 2 show (9.30am-midday, Friday 21 May). The semi-finals will be broadcast live on BBC Four (Tuesday 18 and Thursday 20 May).

Huey Morgan's Latin Music Adventure

One of the things that has always kept the sun shining inside me throughout my life has been Latin Music.
— Huey Morgan
Fun Lovin' Criminals’ frontman, Huey Morgan, presents a new four part series on Latin music, Huey Morgan's Latin Music Adventure, in which he dives into the unique sounds and diverse cultures of rhythmical, South American musical giants, including Puerto Rico, Brazil and Cuba. A love-letter to the Latin sound, the series takes Huey right back to his own roots. Born and raised in the cultural melting pot of New York City, with Puerto Rican ancestry, these rhythms are in Huey's DNA. He explores how they got their groove and how they became a worldwide phenomenon (9-10pm, from Saturday 29 May). And viewers can enjoy Huey’s Latin music TV series once again on BBC iPlayer.

Huey says: “One of the things that has always kept the sun shining inside me throughout my life has been Latin Music. At times when I think the world is cold and without love, I play some Celia Cruz or Willie Colon and the sun starts to shine in my heart. That is exactly what Latin music is for, to show you the possibilities when you don’t see them.”

A Listen production

Source BBC Radio 2

March 1, 2021 8:06am ET by BBC Radio 2  

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