26 July 2008
The Power of Song
|
In 1957 the steam pipe on a goods train in England blew. The train was roaring down a steep incline. The driver, John Axon, knowing he would die, stayed on board warning others of the impending disaster. A year later, songwriter Ewan MacColl, musician Peggy Seeger and recording pioneer Charles Parker decided to make a musical about the heroic driver. But after collecting their material, they decided to tell the story a completely different way.
The Ballad of John Axon was so successful that seven others soon followed. Known as The Radio Ballads, these programs presented a new way of radio storytelling, bringing working peoples' voices, together with song, to the airwaves.
Producer: Ros Bluett
Sound Engineer: Steven Tilley
Further Information
Peter Cox's recent book about the Radio Ballads, Set Into Song, including transcripts
Presenter
Brent Clough
Radio National often provides links to external websites to complement program information. While producers have taken care with all selections, we can neither endorse nor take final responsibility for the content of those sites.
