Martin Miller

Many people ask me “How come someone of your age
enjoys listening to the old stuff” and let’s be honest they
have a right to ask seeing that I’m only in my 20s!

Well one reason is simply because I just love a good
tune and there plenty of those on Angel Radio. The other
reason is that I was around all this sort of music while I
was growing up in the small town of Whitchurch just
outside Winchester (famous for its Silk mill and potato
festival). My dad, for example, loves his Rock 'n’ Roll, my
Grandad (who was a drummer in a local Band called the
Orchids) loved his Jazz and my Nan (who sings in a local
group called the Pitchpipers and used to play piano) is
fanatical about Frankie Laine, Tommy Steele, Elvis Presley
and Deanna Durbin. So you see I was around plenty of
different music.

Angel radio didn’t come into my life until I was 16 yrs old
when I tuned in one rainy night and heard At the Hop by
Danny & The Juniors. At that point I had grown a huge
interest in classical music, particularly Berlioz, and had
started to learn the flute which I have now started learning again after an absence of three years.

After listening to the station for about 8 months I was just itching to be part of the team and in 2004 my wish finally came true and I went to the station and recorded my first ever radio show. A musical world tour.

One year after that I plucked up the courage to ask if I could present my own live show. The answer was yes and on Sunday Lunchtime September 5th 2005 I presented my first live show. It was an experience I never forgot and after I finished I knew that radio was defiantly for me.

At first I felt a little out of place working at Angel Radio. Not only was I the youngest presenter in the team I was also playing records recorded before I was even born. But I had nothing to worry because since working here I’ve met some of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet. I also came to realise just how many other younger people enjoy listening to the older music. I know one person who’s mad about George Formby and has started playing the Ukulele as a result!

Radio has always been my first love ever since I was 5 years old and one of the most rewarding parts of working in it is receiving feedback from listeners who have heard a tune that has bought back a memory, or have just discovered a tune for the first time that they’ve really enjoyed and has become a favourite. In fact since I started listening and working for Angel Radio I have discovered so many wonderful singers and performers my favourites of all time being Jo Stafford, Gene Kruper, Billie Holiday, Mel Torme, Julie Andrews and Shirley Bassey to name but a few.

And if you would like to enjoy a few of my favourite nostalgic discoveries as well as well as some of your favourite records then join me for my Sunday Roast programme from 12pm – 2pm. It features all the artists I’ve mentioned and hundreds of others I haven’t

And if you can’t make it on Sundays then why not make a date with me on Saturday nights from 9 for Romance, an hour of virtually non-stop romantic music. I look forward to your company.

On my programmes I refer quite a lot to a CD label called Proper Records which releases box sets of CDs from singers and musicians we play on Angel Radio as well as sets dedicated to a particular instrument or type of music. They are well worth having in any music collection because not only do you get four CDs of great music, their box sets also contain thick booklets full of information about the star (s) type of music, whose playing what, dates etc and all at an excellent price. Why not browse through their collection by clicking onto the link below.