大象传媒

David Lowe made his first radio programme for the 大象传媒 in October 1981, after serving an unlikely apprenticeship as a civil servant, rock and roll guitarist, shop owner and disc jockey - though not necessarily in that order.

He joined 大象传媒 Radio Devon in August 1990, and by 1994 had successfully steered the Sunday Late Show to the regional status it still enjoys to this day.

As long ago as January 1991 David was invited to produce and present a pilot series of As Time Goes By, 13 editions in all.

Suffice is to say the programme is still going strong today, focusing primarily on the popular music of the 1930s to the 1950s, and evoking powerful memories of the period, often with the aid of listeners letters and requests.

In addition to his broadcasting work, David is also a writer and showbiz columnist. His published works include articles and essays on a wide variety of subjects, such as: travel, collectibles, music, the menace of bullying and matters spiritual and mystical, to name but a few.

Swingers and Singers

David is passionate about nostalgia. "Imagine for a moment that we were given the opportunity of gathering together, in one place, all of the great songwriters, composers and lyricists from the middle years of the 20th Century," he says.

George Gershwin

"No doubt, most of us who are familiar with the popular music from any part of the period spanning the 1920s to the 1960s, would have little hesitation including in that gathering, the likes of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, the Gershwin brothers, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields, Buddy de Sylva, Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. And that鈥檚 just for starters!

"Now imagine extending a similar invitation to the mid-20th Century's most popular bandleaders, musicians, balladeers, crooners and other vocalists.

"True, there are many to choose from, but one of the first to come to mind would surely be Glenn Miller.

"Almost inevitably, he would be closely followed by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Harry James and Benny Goodman, not to mention Crosby, Sinatra, Como, Nat 'King' Cole, Ella, Peggy Lee and Doris Day.

"Sounds a bit like a day-dreamer's Who鈥檚 Who of mid-20th Century popular music, doesn't it?"

But this is no pipe dream. On the contrary, every Sunday evening between 8pm and 10pm, David gathers together some of the aforementioned songwriters and recording stars, and many more besides, for a celebration of the most enduring popular songs and melodies of all-time.

The programme is called 鈥淪wingers and Singers鈥�, and it proves beyond doubt that memories live longer than dreams.