A number of iconic music locations and legends are to be honoured with official Blue Plaques as part of BBC Music Day 2017.
BBC Local Radio is working with The British Plaque Trust to choose a recipient for an official Blue Plaque in each BBC Local Radio station area in England and the Channel Islands. The plaques will be unveiled on BBC Music Day, which returns for for its third year on Friday, June 9.
“BBC Music Day is a unique opportunity for people to celebrate music and musical talent, whether attending one of the many events taking place or tuning in at home," said Bob Shennan (pictured), director of radio and music. "A Blue Plaque is an instantly recognisable symbol of a culturally historic building, and I’m delighted that BBC Music Day in partnership with BBC Local Radio will encourage listeners to nominate their favourite local sites.”
The people or places to receive the BBC Music Day Blue Plaques will be decided as follows:
- From today (Monday. February 20) each BBC Local Radio station will ask their listeners for nominations for an iconic location or music legend that they feel should receive the honour of an official Blue Plaque.
- The British Plaque Trust criteria is to commemorate innovative, influential and successful people who have died. In keeping with this, listeners to BBC Local Radio are asked to nominate singers, musicians, songwriters or producers from any genre of music with a distinct local connection, who are no longer alive. They can also nominate significant locations which are a big part of our musical heritage, for example iconic venues and locations of important events.
- Listeners should contact their BBC Local Radio station via email or social media (Twitter or Facebook), or to localmusiclegends@bbc.co.uk. People can also share their suggestions on social media using #localmusiclegends. Nominations close at midnight Sunday, February 26. This is not a vote and the final decision as to who or what the plaque commemorates and where the plaque is located is not based on the number of suggestions received.
- All nominations will then go forward to a local committee made up of representatives from each BBC Local Radio Station and from the music industry. The local committee will put forward their suggestions to a national committee who will make the final decision for each plaque to be unveiled in its location on BBC Music Day, June 9, 2017.
“BBC Music Day is a great opportunity to celebrate and commemorate the places and people who have influenced our musical landscape," said David Holdsworth, controller of BBC English Regions. "Each community has places or people they have reason to be proud of for their contribution to music and I’m sure the honour of who to award an official Blue Plaque to will be hotly debated across the country. I don’t envy the task of the BBC Local Radio committees who will make the final decision for each Local Radio Station, but all nominations from our audience will go forward for their consideration.
“I hope everyone who is passionate about their musical local heroes joins in with this great opportunity to celebrate our music heritage via their BBC Local Radio station.”
BBC Music Day, which celebrates the power of music across the UK and the Channel Islands, will feature broadcasts across BBC TV, Radio and digital services from 6am to midnight. Full details will be announced in April.
