A LOVE of music, history and storytelling and a friendship with another 2MCE presenter led to Nigel Irvine joining the station's volunteers just over a year ago.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A retired history teacher who even taught a course titled The History of Rock 'n' Roll at Blaxland High School, Nigel brightens up our lives with two music programs, I'll Play The Blues For You on alternate Wednesday afternoons and One Of The Folk on Saturdays.
In I'll Play The Blues For You, Nigel's storytelling embraces traditional blues music born out of slavery and traditional African rhythms.
Followers of blues can take a journey through different genres of music as it is mainly influenced by the narrative of contemporary music, embracing all human emotions.
Nigel is one of three presenters of One Of The Folk, the others being Paul Kelly and Ken Smith.
He admits to not being an authority on traditional folk music and his selections include blues, Americana and all manner of music.
He's especially interested in songwriters such as John Phillips, Robert Hunter, Gurf Morlix, Ben Caplan, Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch, so listeners to his programs will inevitably be entertained and informed by his own preferences, bringing an historical connection to the music.
He'll often have a theme to his program.
Recently he did a program on Laurel Canyon, a suburb in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles which became famous as the home of a recording studio in the 1960s.
Another was a tribute to The Band, one of the most influential bands of the late 60s-70s, and a program which concentrated on Texas blues recognised the influence of Border Radio (a private radio station in Mexico) on later blues players.
Whatever the program, Nigel is always looking out for new music and something a little different which might not otherwise get much radio exposure.
When I invited him to mention a few performers, he nominated Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Garcia, Steve Earle, Etta James, Stevie Ray Vaughan and the previously mentioned Dave Rawlings.
Listeners appreciate the information they get with the music they hear.
Some text him during his program, such as one who wondered recently who played mandolin on the Rolling Stones' Love In Vain.
Nigel's love of the music he enjoys is matched by his other passion, motorcycles.
His interest in them began when he was a teenager.
Spanish and Italian motorcycles still fascinate him and he was a driving force in organising the Motor Bike Show, which attracted 400 motorcyclists plus other visitors, including this writer, to Millthorpe In December.
You can tune in to Nigel's I'll Play The Blues For You from 2pm-4pm on alternate Wednesdays and One Of The Folk from noon to 2pm Saturdays on community radio 2MCE-FM, 92.3 Bathurst and 94.7 Orange or stream from 2mce.org. You can also follow us on Facebook @2MCEComunityRadio, Instagram @2mcesocial or Twitter @2MCEorg.