Andy Kershaw: World Music DJ & Journalist

0:00On April 17th, Andy Kershaw, the legendary DJ who championed world music on Radio 1 for 15 years, has died at age 66. Born in 1959 in Rochtdale, to two head teachers, he grew up obsessed with Bob Dylan and dreamed of political journalism, but his path. Veered into broadcasting with his wildly eclectic tastes. He started at Leeds University, more for the killer gigs than classes, booking acts like The Clash and Elvis Costello, as entertainment secretary. A redundancy led to Rodi work for Billy Bragg, launching him into the spotlight. He even hosted Live Aid at Wembley within a year and landed his own, Late Night Radio 1 slot. Fans saw him as John Peel's heir, loving his thick Rochtdale accent and globe trotting picks that lit up obscure tracks. His sister Liz joined Radio 1 too, and his shows built a loyal crowd hooked on sounds from everywhere. Later, Kershaw switched to BBC reporting, covering Rwanda's genocide, Sierra Leone's war end, and even North Korea radio diaries, snagging Sony awards.

1:05Along the way, personal struggles hit hard in the 2000s, including jail time and a cancer diagnosis this year. But he kept broadcasting a beat to the end. Kershaw's beats and bowl reports leave a mark on music lovers and newshounds alike, proving one mic can spin worlds.