A tribute to Peter Young- personal memories

As I am blogging here a bit more I want to pay tribute to the great Soul and Jazz DJ Peter Young who passed away in late 2018. He played such an important role in my life. Please note this is just a personal tribute and relates a lot of my own experiences

Peter Young was a DJ on Capital Radio in the 1980's and it was during this period I began to become aware of him. I can recall his 'Soul Cellar' show being on the car radio on a couple of occasions. In particular I recall hearing him play Gene McDaniel's original version of 'Point of no return' (amazingly it looks like someone actually has posted the specific show online)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOzVZ4_pBrU

Another track I recall Peter Young playing from this period is Gilberto Gil's 'Toda menina Bahiana' - (Gary Crowley would choose this track to go with his memories of Peter in the Jazzfm tribute show to Peter). Peter would regularly feature music from Brazil and Latin America as well as Ska and Reggae. He recognised music from around the world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgQLOSpG4EM

But it was in the late 1980s that I started to listen to Peter Young's Sunday evening show on Capital Gold religiously. Not only did he play some more obscure oldies his great sense of humour was very much in evidence. I remember his 'Fab four freakout' and themed hours (one one occasion. He once did a show where he had an A-Z of artists (I remember he used Miss X 'My name's Christine' for X!). He would play comedy sketches from the likes of Tony Hancock and Pete and Dud. I loved a jingle using the backing track of 'wouldn't it be nice' with new lyrics by Kenny Everett he would use. I even got to speak to Peter once when he had a Beatles request phone in- I requested 'Old Brown Shoe'

PY helped develop my love of soul. I clearly remember hearing 'The Snake' by Al Wilson for the first time on his show and being absolutely riveted - I did not forsee the end of that song! Another great song I remember him playing was 'God, if you're a woman ' by Darlene Love (major tune). But in particular I recall him playing 'That's the way God planned it' by Billy Preston. Peter Young would tell the story that he got to play this on Radio One in 1969 (actually making this the first record he played on air). Peter always saw that George Harrison who produced this track had a love of soul music (more of which anon)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K30cRTcrIFA

In 1990 Peter Young moved to Jazzfm where he would stay (on and off) for the rest of his career. I did not listen as mush I must confess. However I was fiddling around with my radio in early 1996 and found him again there (I had a very vivid dream where this happened). I would continue listening to him for the next twenty years. In particular I loved the last 15 minutes of his show where he had the soul cellar (I recall sitting in the Library I then worked in listening to it). That awesome jingle (based on Lou Rawl's 'Dead end street') always filled me with joy - still does (They say its a big bad town but I know where the soul is at!). During this period my love of soul music was increasing and more than anyone Peter Young played a major role in educating me and helping to introduce me to both performers and tracks.

Curtis Mayfield (possibly my all time favourite artist) died in December 1999 and Peter played tribute to him. We would occasionally chat about Curtis via social media (particularly Peter's official facebook page). On the tenth anniversary of Curtis Mayfield's passing Peter dedicated most of his show to Curtis after we discussed is anniversary. Peter would always feature obscure or lesser known Curtis Mayfield tracks and tracks he wrote and/or produced like the following Dana Valery track .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8raQ36HWdc

When George Harrison died in 2001 Peter Young played tribute to him over several weeks and we corresponded about George and his love of soul. I was deeply affected by George's passing and Peter Young's tributes helped with my grief. He featured the tracks George helped to produce for Doris Troy and Billy Preston and would always champion these tracks. On the tenth anniversary of George's passing Peter would pay a tribute to him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsEs8UFGS7k

While Peter Young primarily focussed on soul and jazz from 1990 onwards he had an appreciation for music across the pop spectrum. He said some lovely words about Brian Wilson after his appearance at the Queens Golden Jubliee concert in 2002

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y-0nWVdBH4

In 2002 Peter Young temporarily left Jazzfm and in 2002 did a show during Saturday night on BBC London. Even though it meant waking up at about 3am I listened in.

I met Peter Young in 2002 at the London Film Festival Screening of 'Standing in the shadows of Motown'. I gave him a copy of 'From us to you' by the Stairsteps (which was issued on George Harrison's Dark Horse label!). It was great to finally meet him.

In early 2003 Peter returned to Jazzfm (at a reasonable hour!) and I greatly enjoyed his two weekend shows (which later became just one). I recall sitting with my grandmother when he played Mary Love Comer's 'Come out of the sandbox'. It is lovely to have that memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od5OD5MpvZY

Peter Young had absolutely impeccable taste in soul and jazz and was deeply knowledgeable about both (he knew what he did and did not like!). He shared this knowledge and enthusiasm in such an unpretentious and friendly manner. He was always clearly delighted to discuss tracks with his audience and take suggestions from them. He genuinely connected with and respected his audience and treated his listeners like friends. I chatted with him a few times via email and social media and he was always warm and respectful and genuinely interested in what I had to say

In early 2010 a variety of difficult happened to people close to me. It was a painful period but Peter Young's show was a massive comfort through it. I especially recall his show of May 1st 2010 where he played Cajun Hart's 'Got to find a way'. His Soul Cellar compilation that Jazzfm issued the previous year was almost on constant rotation. He helped get me through the next few years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRZO4LJfn9w

As an aside one fun memory of him from this period is listening to his show on a long car journey with my sister and her family in late August 2011 and him playing a Curtis Mayfield track.

One of the many things that was great about Peter was he always championed female artists particularly African American artists like Bettye Lavette (I got into her recent albums through him), Etta James, Syreeta Wright, Valerie Simpson, Sharon Jones and the dapp kings, and Betty Swann- amongst many others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB1OaZ0eD2Q

Peter also had a keen understanding that soul and jazz are routed in the African American experience and speak about the continuing issues the African American community face. He marked the election of Barack Obama over a couple of shows. In last couple of years of his life he championed the work of Rasheed Ali and the 1968 project which showed how classic soul of the 1960s was absolutely linked to and commented on the political and social struggles of the African American community of the period

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd8B-bAAMH8&list=PLL34Za2m8AkF9P_mgtyUMc3yj6KsRpExy

And of course Peter had a wicked sense of humour. He could crack some self deprecating jokes and also some pointed political/social commentary. I also liked that he made frequent mention of the cheese and tomato sandwich he was going to have for lunch. I once sent him a joke about this track being on the Richard Nixon memorial compilation after he played it which he seemed to enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZmaTah38Ng

Peter would always make a point of paying tribute to soul and jazz artists when they passed. I recall his tributes to Isaac Hayes, General Johnson (of Chairman of the board), Bobby Hebb, Allen Toussaint and Terry Callier amongst many (sadly). Not only that but Peter would pay tribute to artists such as James Brown and Bobby Womack over a year when they passed.

Sadly in early 2016 Peter had long periods of illness which meant he had to take two long periods of absence from his Saturday show. He managed to present the show for a final few months in late 2016 and early 2017. One of my final memories of his show is his playing Roberta Flacks's version of 'Hey that's no way to say goodbye' in honour of Leonard Cohen. Sadly he had to retire due to ill health in early 2017 .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz38Vxkyow4

For the next 18 months I would think of Peter Young regularly especially at 5pm on Saturday when the Soul Cellar was broadcast. I hoped he knew people were thinking of him and how much they respected him. But on a friday evening in November 2018 I was sitting at home when I saw Peter's photo on my social media feed. It was the announcement of his passing. There have been few deaths , even of people I have been close to , that hit me as hard.I know that so many of us who listened to Peter's show were similarly affected.It was deeply moving to listen to the tribute to Peter Young on Jazzfm at Christmas 2018 where many of his colleagues shared their memories. More than one shed tears and it was clear how respected and loved he was by them.

I am just so grateful for my memories of listening to Peter Young's shows over thirty years and for the musical education he gave me and others. I just want to share some of these memories. As he said himself 'Don't keep the faith, share it!