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Tony Blackburn Special

Join Tony Blackburn as he celebrates a broadcasting career spanning 50 years with special guests and the Pick of the Orchestral Pops.

Friday Night is Music Night as Tony Blackburn celebrates 50 years on the airwaves.

On Tuesday, 28th July 1964 the Supremes were top of the charts with Where Did Our Love Go, the Fab Four had just released their first film - A Hard Day's Night - and in the news Sir Winston Churchill left the Houses of Parliament for the very last time. But as one great, instantly recognisable voice retired from public life another made his first tentative broadcast from a rackety old ship - the Mi Amigo - anchored just off Frinton-on-Sea. His name was Tony Blackburn - Antony Kenneth Blackburn to be exact - and the station was Radio Caroline South.

50 years later Tony is still a broadcaster and one who can boast a career in Pirate, ±«Óãtv, local, national and Commercial radio. Today he still works 6 days a week hosting shows for both the ±«Óãtv and commercial radio. After his stint at Radio Caroline he joined the ±«Óãtv and the Light Programme as presenter of Midday Spin. Then came the radio revolution of 1967. Radio 1 was launched and it's first voice was Tony Blackburn. Its first record was Flowers in the Rain by The Move.

Aped by Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse as Mike Smash of Smashy and Nicey, crowned King of the Jungle by Ant and Dec in the first ever I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and in 2014 the recipient of the Radio Academy's Gold Award in recognition of his remarkable 50 years in radio. Infact it's the second time Tony has been honoured with the prestigious Gold Award - the last being on his 25th anniversary. In Tony's own words ' I have made a living out of my passion. Being a radio presenter, in my opinion, remains the greatest job in the world'.

Tonight, we turn Friday Night is Music Night into an orchestral Pick of the Pops with tunes from each decade of Tony's career. Mike Dixon conducts the ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra with special guests including Mari Wilson who recalls the songs of Dusty Springfield and Cilla Black, West End stars Jenny Fitzpatrick and Edward Baruwa perform some favourite Motown and soul numbers along with memories of the Four Seasons courtesy of the Jersey Boys.

Interval: We hear about Tony's pirate career and the start of Radio 1, with help from Johnny Beerling and Tony himself, plus classic tracks and archive clips from Radio Caroline, Radio London, The Light Programme and 247 metres on the medium wave.

First broadcast in June 2014.

1 hour, 57 minutes

Last on

Fri 13 Jun 2014 20:00
±«Óãtv Radio 2

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Clip

Music Played

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra - Tony Blackburn 50 year special

    • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      Friday Night Is Music Night

    • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      At the Sign of the Swinging Cymbals

    • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      CALLING ALL WORKERS

    • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      BEEFEATERS

    • Jenny Fitzpatrick & ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      RIVER DEEP - MOUNTAIN HIGH

    • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      THEME ONE

    • Mari Wilson & ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF

    • Mari Wilson & ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      I CLOSE MY EYES AND COUNT TO TEN

    • Edward Baruwa

      All Night Long

    • The Jersey Boys & ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      SHERRY

    • The Jersey Boys & ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY

    • The Jersey Boys & ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

      Walk Like A Man

    • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra & The Jersey Boys

      WHO LOVES YOU

    • The Fortunes

      CAROLINE

  • Chris Andrews

    Yesterday Man

    • 25 YEARS OF ROCK & ROLL - 1965.
    • CONNOISSEUR.
    • RRT CD-65.

  • The Rolling Stones

    Let's Spend The Night Together

    • The Rolling Stones - Forty Licks.
    • VIRGIN.
    • CDVD-2964.

  • George Cates & His Orchestra

    THEME ONE

    • 50 YEARS IN RECORDING.
    • EMI.
    • 07243-532631 2 6.

  • Stevie Wonder

    I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER

    • DEAD PRESIDENTS VOLUNE 2.
    • CAPITOL.
    • 7243 8-35818 2 5.

  • Keith West

    Excerpt From A Teenage Opera

    • THE HITS OF 1967.
    • EMI.
    • CDB-7 94376 2.

  • Johnny Dankworth & His Orchestra

    BEEFEATERS

    • N/A.
    • FONTANA.
    • TF-512.

  • The Move

    FLOWERS IN THE RAIN

    • The Collection.
    • Castle.
    • ccscd-135.

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

    Bohemian Rhapsody

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

    BEATLES MEDLEY-Yesterday, Penny Lane, Fool On The Hill, She Loves You

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

    I'M STILL WAITING

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

    LOVE'S THEME

    • THE BEST OF BARRY WHITE AND LOVE UNLIMITED.
    • CASABLANCA.
    • 812 943-1-S.

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra & Mari Wilson

    YOU'RE MY WORLD

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra & Mari Wilson

    ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

    MANHATTAN SKYLINE

  • Edward Baruwa

    HELLO

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

    THE HUSTLE

  • The Jersey Boys

    CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF OF YOU

  • The Jersey Boys

    DECEMBER 1963 (OH WHAT A NIGHT)

  • ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra

    Friday Night Is Music Night

In The Interval....

...We hear about Tony's pirate career and the start of Radio 1, with help from Johnny Beerling and Tony himself, plus classic tracks and archive clips from Radio Caroline, Radio London, The Light Programme and 247 metres on the medium wave.

For More information from The Pirate Radio Hall Of Fame click here

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Broadcast

  • Fri 13 Jun 2014 20:00
    ±«Óãtv Radio 2

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