It has been announced that BBC Music Day is returning for its third year on Friday 9th June and to celebrate, BBC Radio Solent will unveil an official Blue Plaque to commemorate a person or place who influenced the musical landscape in Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight.
Bringing live music to people through an exciting range of events and broadcasts, BBC Music Day aims to unite communities across different generations through the theme of the power of music. BBC Music Day will feature broadcasts across BBC TV, Radio and digital services from 06:00 to midnight.
Islanders and listeners to BBC Radio Solent across the region are invited to get in touch with blue plaque nominations for singers, musicians, song-writers or producers from any genre of music; or significant locations which are a big part of our musical heritage – for example iconic venues and important events.
The British Plaque Trust criteria is to commemorate innovative, influential and successful people who have died. In keeping with this, BBC Radio Solent listeners 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 can contact BBC Radio Solent via Twitter @BBCRadioSolent using #localmusiclegends, or via email [email protected]. Nominations close at midnight Sunday 26th February. All nominations will then go forward to the BBC Radio Solent Blue Plaque committee which includes Paul Rutter the Head of Music at Southampton Solent University. This 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.
Editor of BBC Radio Solent, Sarah Miller, said:
“You just have to say ‘Isle of Wight festival’ to evoke musical memories from every generation. We have such a rich musical tradition in this region, it is brilliant to see it recognised in this way. The committee will have a tough job sorting through all the nominations as I know how passionate our listeners are about music and where they live.”
