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Ken Dowe recalls John Peel |
| Some of you may remember "John
Ravenscroft" who did a regular Saturday afternoon program with me
from KLIF during the first year or so of the "Beatles" arrival in
America. John was a native of Liverpool and in "the McLendon way,"
gave KLIF an authenticity our competitors were denied. John and I
made myriad appearances around Dallas and Ft. Worth during the
British Invasion, signing autographs and hyping KLIF's association
with the world's hottest new music.
We spent many Saturday afternoons during the sixties on the air at Gordon's, "Mighty 1190." About 5 years ago I was contacted by the BBC and invited to appear on their top rated television program. THIS IS YOUR LIFE. JOHN PEEL...was the subject matter. I was shocked to learn that "John Peel," the "Dick Clark of Great Britain" for many years...was in fact...John RAVENSCROFT. John had developed a personal and professional relationship with the brightest stars of England. He arranged for dozens of music sessions at the BBC which he then played on his highly popular radio shows from and exposed further during his weekly TV program at BBC (TOP OF THE POPS). These early music sessions are now available in music stores from Capetown to Moscow. Sir Richard Branson was among the stars and celebrities who praised JOHN PEEL on the surprise TV program. Eric Clapton for example, and so many others. Literally dozens of the biggest British musical successes were discovered by "John Peel (Ravenscroft)." Today, they remain international favorites. Time passes...but the stars still glow brilliantly. John Peel is yet another reminder of radio's magic carpet ride that Gordon McLendon piloted during the last half of the 20th Century. Rest in peace, John Peel ... alongside but a handful of McLendon legends. |