Fearne Cotton leaves BBC Radio 1

/ James Fenney

fearne_cotton

BBC Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton has broadcast her final show after ten years at the station. Her mid-morning show, which features the much loved Live Lounge segment, will be taken over by Clara Amfo. Fearne, leaving the station in order to spend more time with her family, received numerous thank you messages from the likes of Dave Grohl, Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding and Ed Sheeran, as well as special dedicated performances from Coldplay, Kodaline and James Bay. It’s seems that Radio 1 is going through a rough patch, losing another presenter after Zane Lowe’s departure in March.

Blues pioneer BB King passes away

/ James Fenney

B.B. King In Concert - San Rafael, CA

Legendary blues guitarist BB King has passed away at age 89 after a recent battle with diabetes related illness. He was one of the first trailblazers of blues music and has outlasted all his contemporaries. Up until recently he would play over 100 shows a year with his signature black Gibson ES 355, nicknamed ‘Lucille’, which in his gifted hands has become one of the most famous guitars in music history. He is second only to Robert Johnson as the greatest and most influential blues musician and has inspired such other great guitarists as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Joe Walsh, Peter Green and Gary Moore. He was a figurehead for his genre, the last of his generation and he will be sorely missed.

Live Review: Handmade Festival 2015

/ James Fenney

handmadelineup

Right when I was about to burst from stress, with only the prospect of the summer’s music keeping me going, a free pass was dropped in my metaphorical lap. Leicester’s ever growing genre-bending independent music festival was just the weekend I needed. I headed down to the O2 Academy representing LUSH Radio and it was the first time (though hopefully not the last) that I entered a venue with my name legitimately on the press list. It could technically be considered my first festival experience and I was determined to make the most of it.

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Final Glastonbury headliner announced

/ James Fenney

The Who Plays Brisbane

All bets are off as The Who have been announced as the third and final headline act, along with Foo Fighters and Kanye West. Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend will bring the festival to a close as part of their 50th anniversary tour. Glastonbury is sure to be the highlight of what may be their last major tour.

R&B Legend Ben E King dies

/ James Fenney

ben_e_king

Soul singer Ben E King has passed away at age 76. Starting out as lead singer of the Drifters, he went on to have a prolific solo career that resulted in his biggest and best known hit ‘Stand By Me’. His songs have been covered by the likes of Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, John Lennon, Shirley Bassey, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin. He was a great influential pioneer of R&B and will be sorely missed.