He has been described as the John Peel of country music, and his unbridled passion and commitment to the genre (and its many sub-genres) has gained him the recognition of the Country Music Association, who honoured him with the International Broadcaster of the Year award in 2004.
Amongst his many other awards are a Gold Badge of Merit from BACS, the Radio Academy/PRS Award for his Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio, 3 Sony Bronze Awards for ‘Music Broadcaster of the Year’ and ‘Music Programme of the Year’ and Bob was voted 9th in a Radio Times reader poll The Voices We Love the Most.
Bob was delighted to be awarded an OBE for his services to music broadcasting in June 2011 as well as the Trailblazer Award for the Americana Music Association.
Bob has written books, newspaper articles and magazine columns. As founding co-director of ‘Time Out’, compiler of two rock reference books and his work through three decades for the British music press, Bob is an acknowledged author and archivist. In 2001 his autobiography The Whispering Years was published by BBC Worldwide followed by Still Whispering After all these Years in 2015.
He has produced records, done 48-gig rock tours and interviewed a President. He has voiced television and radio documentaries, major advertising campaigns (including the Beatles USA campaign for ‘Anthology 3’) and appeared in movies.
Bob’s depth of understanding of popular music – its origins and influences – is immense. As a voice on the radio – reassuring, knowledgeable and enthusiastic – he is unique.
