A short biography ...

Bluesman: Gary Blue

The beginnings of Gary’s interest in music can most definitely be traced back to his cousin’s collection of original Motown records. His taste during the difficult school years grew to include many bands then outside the mainstream and known only as names through the vintage film clips shown during the Old Grey Whistle Test. Studies at University (he has a degree in Physics with Mathematics) were eased by the regular blues show on Radio One presented by Alexis Korner, These, as well as Charlie Gillett’s programmes, planted the seeds for Gary’s writing and broadcasting career to include a love of real blues and Classic Soul.

His earliest reviews of blues albums were published in Detour, Blueprint and B.I.T.S and he is now part of the review panel for Blues & Rhythm magazine. In addition he has written and published booklets on John Lee Hooker and B. B. King amongst others. There are a number of yet-to-be seen projects, including discographies of Joe Louis Walker and Robert Cray.

As well as his writing, he presented and produced the semi-legendary “LOOSELY BLUES” shows for Radio Hinchingbrooke and HCR. Gary joined X-CEL FM in August 2000 to host the new series of “BLUES ANGLE” shows each Saturday evening. Four weeks later, Gary took the show into a new 2 hour format, called "the BLUESMAN". Uniquely for this country, the play lists joined those from 125 other radio blues to contribute to the monthly Living Blues charts. (All playlists and charts are published on this web-site).

With the station rebranding as Fen Radio 107.5 and merger into the UKRD group, the show success is honoured with a futher extension to three hours and rename as "Fen Blues". Significantly, the show - in its unique live format - is now pre-eminent amongst the list of specialist programmes regulary available on UK radio. The show is now the premier outlet for all new blues releases world-wide, with regular exclusives of new and previously unissed recordings.

Early in 2002, Gary celebrated the 30th anniversary of buying his first record (a reissue of a classic hit). Though that first single was not a blues based song, the four hour "Fen Blues" show to mark the occasion did include it on the playlist.

In response to listener and visitor feedback, this web-site was enriched with further content during June 2002 - strengthening the links between the different aspects of Gary's work and passions.

At the start of November 2003 the station brand became Fen Radio107.5 and the blues show name reverted to BLUESMAN.

The mix of news, views and reviews remains  to show why the Blues Is A Beautiful Thing.