An Amble broadcaster who thought he might do just half a dozen programmes for Radio Northumberland has gone on to present almost 600 shows after spending the past decade bringing classical music to listeners across Northumberland and beyond.
Rod Hardisty was one of the very first presenters to join Radio Northumberland when the community station was getting off the ground, alongside founders Stewart Allen and Keith Newman.
Now, his popular classical music programme remains a regular fixture on the station and Rod admits his involvement came about almost by accident.
“I’d just retired from professional radio and bumped into one of the lads from the station in a supermarket,” said Rod.
“He knew I used to play in a brass band and asked if I would do a brass band show.
“I thought I had a few tracks, but probably not enough to do a weekly show, so I said I might do the odd classical programme.”
Rod agreed to give it a try, thinking he would probably do around six programmes.
“I’m now getting close to 600,” he said. “And I’ve still got every programme in my own archives as well.”
Rod’s show is perhaps best described as classical music for people who don’t necessarily think of themselves as classical music fans.
Rather than concentrating solely on the more challenging works of the classical repertoire, he plays the melodic, familiar pieces that many listeners will recognise, the sort of music that was once regularly heard on mainstream radio.
“I play the kind of classical music you used to hear years ago,” he explained.
“You’d hear programmes with the grandest and best-known tunes on the BBC and other stations. It’s light classical music, but most people would recognise it and enjoy it, even if they’re not classical music fans.
“I think that’s probably one of the reasons it has been so successful.”
For Rod, the attraction is also having complete freedom to choose the music he loves.
He enjoyed a long career in professional radio, working for three stations and witnessing the industry change dramatically.
His career included Red Rose Radio in Lancashire, CFM in Carlisle and, from its launch in 1994, Century Radio in the North East.
At Century he eventually became heavily involved in the station’s sports operation, working with presenters and helping organise football phone-ins and other sporting content.
When ownership changes saw him leave the station as an employee, he continued doing the same work as a freelancer famously finishing work on a Friday and returning on Saturday to do exactly the same job.
“I never missed a day,” he said.
He eventually remained in professional radio until 2013, when further changes in the industry brought that chapter of his career to an end.
Radio Northumberland gave him the opportunity to continue doing what he loved but on his own terms.
“When you work in professional radio you don’t necessarily have a choice about what music you play,” said Rod.
“There were times when I was scheduling music, but it had to be a certain type of music. It was quite melodic and modern, but it wasn’t really my cup of tea. I’d go home and listen to classical music.
“So the fact that I could play my own kind of music, my own choice, and people would hear exactly what I enjoy listening to that’s what made me want to keep doing it.
“I thought I’d only do it for a short time. Ten years later, I’m still doing it and I still enjoy it.”
Radio Northumberland’s community-based operation is run by volunteers, with presenters giving their time and experience to keep the station on air.
Rod’s programme, which began as a local show, can now be heard far beyond Northumberland thanks to the station’s DAB and online services.
Listeners can tune in via DAB in the North East, listen online or use smart speakers by simply asking for Radio Northumberland.
And while Rod has spent much of his career behind a microphone, he says there is something particularly satisfying about being part of the community station.
“It’s completely different from professional radio,” he said. “You can do what you want to do and hopefully give people something they enjoy listening to.
“Ten years seems to have gone very quickly.”
And there is little sign of Rod hanging up his headphones just yet.
After almost 600 programmes, there are clearly still plenty of classical favourites left to play.
ENDS
Photo: Rod in the studio (Highlights PR)
PR keitH@highlightspr.co.uk 07814 397951