by Ben Hogwood Photo (c) Yui Mok/PA

Sunday 27 October was a pretty momentous day on BBC Radio 2, for it marked the last broadcast in the 58-year career of DJ Johnnie Walker.

Walker was a Sunday afternoon companion to many, myself included, over the last 15 years. His two-hour programme Sounds of the 70s was a national institution, a place where people could forget about the forthcoming week and enjoy some quality music along with their chores, car journeys or dinner preparations.

It was the last in a long line of broadcasting assignments for Walker, who also fronted Radio 2’s Rock Show – a natural move for a figure steeped in rock music ever since he arrived on the scene on one of the pirate ships in the 1960s.

By way of a small ‘thank you’, here is a playlist in tribute to Johnnie, with many thanks for the music he introduced me to, and also recognition of the music he played that I already loved. It’s a small portrait of a broadcasting legend, but – like his programmes – is put together with a great deal of affection for his craft.

Published post no.2,346 – Tuesday 29 October 2024