Derek Taylor's Americana Backpack

Derek Taylor

Friday evenings,9-11pm on Radio Caroline Flashback

County Down born Derek Taylor had his first taste of broadcasting on BFBS in Aden in 1966, where his father was serving in the British Army, hosting the weekly Get With It Club! Back in England he worked as a night club DJ before entering drama college and then university. Graduating in 1979, he joined the BBC World Service, working on The Weekly Echo. From there his broadcasting career took him to BBC Radio Suffolk, where he presented a weekly arts show. But he fell out badly with the programme organiser over the anti-war song "Gallipoli". Apparently the song was too long and therefore too costly for the BBC to play. He was told he would never work for the BBC again, and hasn't. Derek next joined a group applying for a local radio license in Folkestone/Dover Kent, producing and presenting the news and the drive-time show. From there he moved to Thanet Radio and presented a country music show. In 1992 Derek discovered the British Archive of Country Music where he has worked ever since as an Archivist. The Archive has nearly a million country music recordings scanning the whole history of country music and its roots. It's this collection that forms the basis for his Archive Roots Americana Show on Radio Caroline. Derek Taylor has also written ten western novels, all still in print. He can't think why, other than the fact that he loves cowboy music!

Christmas Carol Collection by Various

Loyal Books

Though carols are traditionally associated with Christmas, this was not always the case. “Carol” comes from the French word 'carole' which means circle dance accompanied by singing...

Though carols are traditionally associated with Christmas, this was not always the case. “Carol” comes from the French word 'carole' which means circle dance accompanied by singing. It was part of any festivity and gradually came to be associated with holidays like Christmas. In England, festivities were banned following the Civil War and Protestantism, but many song writers and Protestants wrote musical works to be sung at Christmas and these were referred to as “carols.” Today, Christmas anywhere in the world is incomplete without carol singers and songs. They celebrate the season, the birth of Christ, the joy of the holidays and convey good wishes and cheer to listeners. Many famous carols are written in German, French and Latin as well as English. The Christmas Carol Collection by Various includes some traditional and some modern day carols, all of which embody the spirit of the festive season. The first one, Christ Was Born on Christmas Day is a 13th century song, which was once very popular all over Europe. The original Latin was translated by John Mason Neale, an eminent English clergyman, in the nineteenth century. American lyricist Charlotte Homer's delightful 1902 Christmas Lullaby follows next, set to music by Charles Gabriel Hutchinson. The famous and charming carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas, which was once a popular English folk song is also included here. It was first published in England in 1780 without music and was meant to be chanted. Come All You Merry Gentlemen, a 19th century song, follows. Est ist ein Ros entsprungen a beautiful 15th century German carol is next on the list. This song may be more familiar as Lo How a Rose e'er Blooming to the English speaking world. Gesu Bambino, a delightful Italian song was set to music by Frederick Herman Martens. The famous African-American gospel song, Go Tell it on the Mountain is a rousing anthem to the glory of God. A fifteenth century Sussex carol, the 19th century Boston carol, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, the traditional yet popular English carol I Saw Three Ships, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's charming I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day, Eduard Ebel's 1895 German song, Leise Reiselt der Schnee and more are included in this collection. These lovely carols invoke the theme of this most enjoyable festival, which conveys the message of hope and eternal life hereafter.