Heart of a Fan

Canadian-bred journalist, radio presenter and country music aficionado Bob Powel was a colossus of the country music scene in the UK throughout the 1970s and 80s. Here is what some of his contemporaries say about him: - "If country music were a land mass, he'd have been China." (Terence Pettigrew, author and documentarist). "His Radio London London Country shows were absolutely riveting listening and he became a cult figure, an icon." (David Allan, journalist and BBC Radio/TV presenter). "A better historian of country music than anybody in the past 25 years - or preceding that!" (Songwriter Boudleaux Bryant, speaking on London Country, 1981). "He knew an incredible amount about artistes, producing stuff on London Country which no other programme ever did - he even stumped the artistes! A quite unique presenter." (Tony Byworth, journalist, author and PR Representative). Long-serving editor of the UK's largest-selling country music publication, Country Music People, as well as BBC radio presenter, Powel had his finger on the pulse of country music in the UK during the two decades that saw greatest growth in the genre, but following a shake-up of local radio scheduling in the late 80s, his show was taken off the air, coinciding with his relinquishing of CMP editorship. Subsequently, following a brief stint at Radio Sussex, he departed these shores for Thailand, where he seemed set to live out his final years in retirement until growing health and financial concerns led him back to the UK shortly after the turn of the millennium. While recuperating from major heart surgery, he began recounting the story of his unique life for the first time to latter-day friend, Tom Baker. Here is a record of that story - Heart of a Fan.