Solar Radio

We are sad to report that Bobby Taylor, the veteran singer and producer, died Saturday morning at a hospital in Hong Kong, where he'd been living for the last several years. He was 83 and had been undergoing treatment for leukemia and tumors in his spine. "Bobby had a range that exceeded even Patti LaBelle," recalls Tommy Chong, who played guitar in Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers, whose hits included 1968 R&B top 10 smash "Does Your Mama Know About Me.". The Vancouvers pioneered a mixed-race line-up in soul combos, and Bobby is renowned for having discovered the Jackson 5 and recommended them to Motown.

L.C. Cooke, 84, a rhythm & blues pioneer and younger brother of Sam Cooke died in hospital where he was rushed from his Chicago-area home on Saturday (21st).  He is survived by his wife Marjorie. His death was of natural causes. His recording career indluded discs on Vee Jay, SAR and Chess.

Tickets are now SOLD OUT for  the JULY 30 BOAT PARTY, to be held on Sunday July 30 aboard m.v. Golden Jubilee, sailing from Temple Pier at 2.00pm and returning at 7.00pm. There will be two floors of music played by Solar Radio DJs, plus food available to buy. If you wish to go on the WAITING LIST for possible returns, email us at info@solarradio.com and tell us how many tickets you need. If these become available we will contact you. Tickets are sold on a firm sale basis, are not Sale-Or-Return, and may be transferrable a) at the buyer's risk and b) with agreement from Solar Radio. For your safety, every passenger boarding will be security-searched and bag-checked.

Tickets are NOW AVAILABLE for the Late Summer Boat Party, Sunday September 24. This will be aboard m.v. Golden Jubilee, with five hours of music from Solar DJs on two floors. We sail from Temple Pier, Victoria Embankment, London WC2R 2PN, leaving at 2.00pm and returning at 7.00pm, with food available to purchase. Tickets are £20.00 from  http://www.solarradio.com/product/late-summer-boat-party-sunday-aeptember24/ - and are sold on a firm-sale basis, with any unwanted or 'spare' tickets to be traded by the buyer.

We are pleased to announce the 'launch' of a new Solar Radio event, 'Soul on the Solent', a five-hour cruise on the Solent and surrounding waters aboard passenger ship Princess Caroline,  sailing from Ocean Village Marina, Southampton SO14 3LG, on SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 3rd 2017, departing at 2.00pm and returning at 7.00pm. There will be two floors of music from Solar DJs Ray Bradshaw, Tony Mac, Tony Monson, Gary Spence and Simon Van Os, and food available to purchase. There is a limited capacity of 120 persons for this event, and tickets, priced at £18.00 each, are now available at http://www.solarradio.com/product/soul-on-the-solent/

(In accord with Solar Radio ticket sales policy, all tickets are sold on a 'firm sale' basis)

All tickets are now sold for  the AUGUST SOLAR SOUL CRUISE, to be held on Sunday August 20th aboard m.v. Golden Jubilee, sailing from Temple Pier at 2.00pm and returning at 7.00pm. There will be two floors of music played by Solar Radio DJs, plus food available to buy. Tickets are sold on a firm sale basis, are not Sale-Or-Return, and may be transferrable a) at the buyer's risk and b) with agreement from Solar Radio. For your safety, every passenger boarding will be security-searched and bag-checked.

With the ever-increasing number of people tuning to Solar Radio, we are happy to welcome new customers to our Soul Cruise events, and it may be timely to advise new folk (and remind valued 'regulars'!) of our ticketing procedures. We do not send out tickets for our river events, either by post or as e-tickets, but we do hold all tickets for collection on the day, just before the event. The buyer will receive an acknowledgement email with booking reference number, generated automatically by our website commerce system via PayPal.  The buyer will then later be sent another email, this time from our office address, advising of collection time and boarding information, this involving compulsory security checks before boarding. We hope this helps!

A reminder that the dedicated SOLAR RADIO app for Android devices is available NOW to download and install FOR FREE from the Google Play Store, featuring choice of 64k or 128k streams, schedule information, contact and social media links, available at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.SolarRadioAndroid  Also available from the Apple Store, is an UPGRADE to the SOLAR RADIO app for i-PHONE.

Here is the full calendar of remaining events in the SOUL CRUISE 2017 diary.

• Sunday July 30,( 2.00pm - 7.00pm) River Thames
  
• Saturday August 19th, 4 - 7.30pm SOUL ON THE TYNE
• Sunday August 20, Sunday September 24, Sunday October 29, Sunday December 17 (all 2.00pm - 7.00pm) (River Thames)
  
• Sunday September 3rd 2017, 2.00pm -7.00pm- Soul on the Solent  - from Southampton

Statistics indicate the CONTINUED GROWTH of SOLAR RADIO, both in the quantity of listeners tuning our way and the length of time you stay tuned. In this market place with a range of choices, we thank you for your continued support!

(note- these stats are for streaming alone, via the website and apps on your mobile devices, and do NOT include listeners via Sky and DAB)

Each Friday at 6.00pm brings the LES ADAMS request show "The Two Hour Takeover"

In which you, the listeners, select the entire playlist via Les' posting on FACEBOOK.

Tune in to Solar Radio to hear the listeners selection at 18:00 Sponsored by: FUEL DOCTOR

PROUD WINNER OF  THE SOUL SURVIVORS MAGAZINE AWARD-  

                                                          BEST SOUL RADIO STATION

Thanks to the listeners.....who voted for us
Thanks to the DJs ....for playing all the music
Thanks to 'Management' - Keith for keeping us on air, Barbara for keeping the finances in order, Clive for managerial 'plate-spinning', Tony our founder and, most important of all,        Thanks to the singers, musicians, songwriters and arrangers for creating such great music over some EIGHT DECADES (1940s to date), and the record companies with the vision to release the records (OK, downloads too!) for us to play to you!

Solar Radio can be heard on DAB in Birmingham, Brighton, in the London area, with the boundary of the North and South Circular Roads, Manchester,  and Norwich, all part of the Small Scale DAB trial as promoted by OfCom. If you are new to DAB radio receivers, it is worth noting that the most complete range of available stations will be found by doing a full scan near to a window and in the highest available location in your property.

Our Sunday morning 'In Orbit' man, CLIVE R, has written his autobiography - entitled SOUL CITIZEN- relating his memories and experiences over his fifty years as a soul fan, record-collector, music journalist, club and concert-goer, oh, and soul radio DJ! 

Following the excellent response to his set on the April Soul Cruise, Clive is now making the book available direct to Solar Radio listeners. Purchase the book HERE

There are several ways to access SOLAR RADIO on the move, via your Android, IPhone, Tablet or similar device and DAB, the latter to Birmingham, Brighton, London, Manchester & Norwich.

From the Android Play Store, free downloads are available of apps for either Radioplayer UK, TuneIn Radio or Nobex Radio, which you can install on your device in seconds and a quick search will soon reveal SOLAR RADIO, which can then be saved as a 'favourite' or can be 'followed'.

The Nobex Radio app is also suitable for use on an I-Phone, while the dedicated SOLAR RADIO app is also available from the Apple Store.

Your device can usually be linked to a car audio system via Bluetooth for in-car entertainment. Please ensure you have an adequate data package with your provider.

SOLAR RADIO is part new Ofcom initiative of experimental Small-Scale DAB radio for London, within the area bounded by the North and South circular roads and for the city of Norwich.

Please re-scan your DAB receiver.

A range of SOLAR RADIO MERCHANDISE including branded clothing, t-shirts, sweatshirts and other items is available Here