91福利社

Mark Radcliffe introduces 21st Century Folk, in which five people inspire five new songs.

This year's theme is 'sport', in a summer that includes the FIFA World Cup, the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, the Commonwealth Games and more.

Our inspirational subjects are Hannah, Andy, Victor, Jackie and Jonathan.

Hannah was a young carer and passionate cyclist until a serious crash put her life on hold - she's since qualified as a firefighter. Andy treasures some boxing gloves that belonged to his uncle Adrian, who was tragically killed aged 18 in 1974. Victor was forced to be a child soldier in Sierra Leone, before sleeping rough in London - he's now a well-loved member of Arsenal's community. Footballer Jackie missed the chance to represent England women in the 1980s but she's now been capped in the over-60s walking football squad. Jonathan is a passionate advocate for running in the west end of Glasgow.

This programme tells their stories, and captures the moments when they heard their songs for the first time.

Our songwriters are Katherine Priddy, Martin Simpson, Passenger AKA Mike Rosenberg, Megson, Eddi Reader and John Douglas.

Katherine Priddy is a songwriter from Birmingham. She's a standout folk artist of recent times and her third album, These Frightening Machines, came out in March 2026.

Martin Simpson is a master folk singer and world-class guitarist who blends traditional material with original songwriting. He has worked with Jackson Browne, Wu Man and Bonnie Raitt. Martin's latest album, Some Kind Of Jubilee, marks 50 years since his debut LP.

Passenger (Mike Rosenberg) is best known for his multi-billion-streaming hit, Let Her Go, which reached number one in 16 countries. He recently wrote the music for West End musical The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Mike is a passionate Arsenal fan.

Husband-and-wife duo Megson are Debbie and Stu Hanna, from Teesside. They blend northern humour with sensitive insights to create memorable and affecting modern folk songs about life in Britain today.

Eddi Reader is a winner of three Brit Awards, widely known for the hit singles Perfect (with Fairground Attraction), and Patience Of Angels (solo). She is celebrated for her emotional delivery, connecting with audiences across folk, pop, and traditional music, including her acclaimed Robert Burns recordings. Eddi performs regularly with her husband, John Douglas - a founding member of the Trashcan Sinatras.

As well as this two-hour special, you can experience 21st Century Folk in live features on Jeremy Vine, every afternoon this week from 12pm. The emotional moments when each song was performed to its subject for the first time can be watched on Radio 2's social channels.

Produced in Salford by Pomona Audio for 91福利社 Radio 2.

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