Tracks Of My Life

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by talented blind opera soprano singer Denise Leigh, winner of Channel 4’s Operatunity opera competition semi-finalist in Britain’s Got Talent 2024 who has performed on many stages over the year’s  including the London Coliseum and patron of a number of charities too. Denise’s Tracks of My Life musical journey will start with a great sounding Northern Soul track from her early life growing up in Crewe.   To a track dedicated to Denise’s cousin Andy who sadly passed away in 2013 and a track that they would duet together on over the noise of the hairdryer while Andy was styling Denise’s hair. Then to one of Joni Mitchell’s tracks from the album The Hissing of Summer Lawns which came out in 1975 which Denise says is a great example of story telling and showing Joni’s voice too.  We will then have a track that has mixed emotions for Denise taking her back to school and also a moment in the garden in the sunshine during the Covid lockdowns in her family bubble with her son playing this track too.  Before we hear Denise’s final track we have a couple of tracks relating to the time when Denise won the Channel 4’s Operatunity competition a piece from Verdi’s Rigoletto and a track for Chris, a close friend who helped Denise out with some of that physicality and presence needed for the filming of the competition and also for performing on stage too. If you would like to find out more about Denise’s singing career and much more do visit her website - https://www.deniseleigh.com (Image shows Denise and Stefan on stage at the Britain's Got Talent semi-final)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by blind actor, theatre maker and access consultant Benjamin Wilson, who was the Ramps on The Moon Agent For Change at Sheffield Theatres. He is also the Co-Founder of creative audio description company Hear The Picture and the theatre company Brick Wall Ensemble. Ben has worked with many theatre companies and performed on many stages over the years including Leeds Playhouse, The Globe and the National Theatre to name just a few.  Benjamin’s chosen tracks start with one to his Dad who passed away when he was only 10 years old and one that when he hears it he feels a real connection with his Dad again.   Then to a track from his favourite band Arctic Monkeys and seven years in Sheffield and working at Sheffield Theatres. Next to the religion that is following your chosen football team through thick and thin with a true football song that has a 70s feel for Leeds United. Theatre and football merge in Benjamin’s next chosen track with one from his own production of Henry 5 which he starred in and a track that all the cast sang and danced too. Before we come to Benjamin’s final track we will have one for his partner Laura and one from road by Jim Cartwright a theatre production that he worked on as Audio description Consultant.  For more about Benjamin Wilson’s audio description company Hear the Picture do visit - https://hearthepicture.co.uk You will also find Benjamin Wilson posting on X too - https://x.com/BenjaminEWilson (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing those tracks that mark important moments in their life which bring back treasured memories to them. Their chosen tracks might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, more tracks that mark  other memorable moments in their life with the final track being a track that they would like to pass on that might give people hope for the future or just inspire them. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by former Paralympian Jonathan Ward who won a number of Paralympic medals as a visually impaired athlete including Gold in the Shot Put, Silver in the Discus and Bronze in the Pentathlon out in Seoul in 1988, Bronze in the Shot Put at the Barcelona games in 1992 and another Bronze in the Shot Put at the Sydney 2000 Games. Jonathan’s Tracks of My Life journey starts with a wonderful piece of classical music by Tchaikovsky which seems to appear in the background when something life changing is happening in his life and definitely well before the invention of the smart speaker.  Then to a track for Jonathan that marks a safe family place for him and a springboard to try new things too. We then have a snap shot of life at boarding school for Jonathan with a great Jam track from 1979 that brings back fond memories of school life and those school discos too.  Jonathan then reflects on his Paralympic athletics career from competing in his first games in Seoul in 1988, a track more for his daughters coming back from the Atlanta games in 1996 and then to the Sydney 2000 games and a track for Jonathan from his wife that featured on a cassette tape that she had given him with some good luck messages on it too.  Before we come to Jonathan’s final track he looks bak on how the covid pandemic affected him as an athlete with a piece of music that represents a moment of clarity for him during all the restrictions and lockdowns.

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing seven tracks that mark important moments in their life which bring back treasured memories to them. Their chosen tracks might include the first track they ever heard or the first track they bought to other tracks that mark important memorable moments in their life with their final seventh track being one that they might like to pass on to others that may give people hope for the future or just inspire them. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by Sir Robin Millar CBE an internationally renowned British Music Producer, Businessman, Campaigner for vulnerable people and the current Chair of disability equality charity Scope. Robin produced and arranged the legendary Diamond Life album by Sade. Robin’s Tracks of My Life journey starts with him at the age of 17 a year after he had been told he was going to lose his sight, finding and being inspired by the music and lyrics of Joni Mitchell along with learning to play every track of her Ladies of the Canyon album. Of course Robin has chosen some great music tracks and a couple that have brilliant intros too, including Jimi Hendrix’s cover of Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watch Tower and Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones.  It was being on stage watching the Rolling Stones perform at Knebworth behind Bill Wyman’s bass speaker and seeing 60,000 people waving their lighters in the air that really lit the fire for Robin to become a great musician, producer and want to make records that would sell millions too which he did achieve with many albums including the legendary Diamond Life album by Sade.   We will then have an insight into the time in the seventies when Robin was working as an apprentice audio engineer at the Le Chateau Studios in Paris while Bowie, Elton, the Grateful Dead and the Bee Gees were recording a number of classic albums and his one day a week studying for a post grad in music arranging at the Sorbonne being taught by Georges Delerou who arranged and recorded the theme from Robin’s favourite film Le Mepris. Before we come to Robin’s final track we will hear how a visit he made with the UN to a refugee camp, meeting people who had nothing at all made him look outwards rather than inwards and start to give something back through getting involved in charity records, Live Aid, Oxfam and much more. Robin found the rewards from trying to improve other people’s situations was better, more important and more rewarding than making records that sold millions. You can catch the full hour long version of Tracks of My Life with Sir Robin Miller CBE on RNIB Connect Radio, Good Friday, 29 March 8pm repeated Easter Saturday, 30 March 6pm and again on Bank Holiday Monday, 1 April 8pm.  To find out more about sir Robin Miller CBE do visit his website - https://www.robinmillar.org.uk Image shows a black and white head shot of Robin wearing dark glasses, a shirt, tie and jacket

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing those tracks that mark important moments in their life which bring back treasured memories to them. Their chosen tracks might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, more tracks that mark other memorable moments in their life with the final track being a track that they would like to pass on that might give people hope for the future or inspire them. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by Ken Reid, a long-time volunteer and fundraiser for the RNIB and a number of other sight loss organisations. Ken’s Tracks of My Life musical journey starts with him talking about his school nickname ‘Hank’ which was because of his glasses which were very similar to the famous ones worn by Hank Marvin from The Shadows although Ken only needed glasses at that time for correcting his sight. Ken then will reflect on the time when he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa and how he then began volunteering and fundraising for a number of sight loss organisations including his mammoth tandem bike ride to raise funds for the RNIB Talking Books Library.   Not forgetting the pleasures of reading for Ken whether it is listening to an audio book or reading a book in Braille with a track that brings both his love of music and books together named after a character from one of his favourite books too.   Before we come to Ken’s final track we will hear about what it means to Ken being able to be out in the countryside, walking in the Scottish hills with his partner and how good it is to be out on the hills in all weathers enjoying the fresh air, the sounds of nature and sharing that experience too. You will be able to hear the full hour long version of Ken’s Tracks of My Life on RNIB Connect Radio, New Year’s Day at 3pm and then repeated on Tuesday 2 January 2024 at 7pm.  Image shows Ken in the RNIB Connect Radio studios wearing a pair of headphones and talking into a microphone with the RNIB logo on it and red tinsel wrapped around the stand.

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing those tracks that mark important moments in their life which bring back treasured memories to them. Their chosen tracks might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, more tracks that mark other memorable moments in their life with the final track being a track that they would like to pass on that might give people hope for the future or inspire them. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by Dr Amit Patel, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant, Motivational Speaker, Author and Broadcaster.  Amit’s Tracks of My Life musical journey will begin with happy memories of school life for him and then to his first real experience of racism when he was in his late teens at college in London. Then Amit will look back on the impact of the massive explosion of Asian music on main stream radio with the release of Cornershop’s Brimful of Asha and maybe a time when it was cool to be Asian in the UK too. While working as an A&E Doctor Amit started to lose his sight and he will reflect on his life as an A&E Doctor from both sides of the hospital bed. Before we come to Amit’s final track we will hear how losing his sight also made him lose his love of music too for a while but his love of music did come back and going to his first Asian gig as a visually impaired person was just as exciting and fun as it was when he had his sight.  You will be able to hear the full hour long version of Amit’s Tracks of My Life on RNIB Connect Radio on Christmas Day at 11am and again on Boxing Day at 1pm.  Image shows Amit smiling towards the camera with his guide dog in the park with trees in the background

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing those tracks that mark important moments in their life which bring back treasured memories to them. Their chosen tracks might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, more tracks that mark other memorable moments in their life with the final track being a track that they would like to pass on that might give people hope for the future or inspire them. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by Selina Mills, award-winning Journalist, Broadcaster and Author of ‘Life Unseen - A story of Blindness’’ which was published by Bloomsbury in the summer of 2023. Selina’s Tracks of My Life journey will start with an early introduction to the music of Mozart and posters of Classical Musicians and Conductors on her bedroom walls. Then to time studying in America and a track by a band made up of fellow undergraduates with lyrics that did change Selina’s outlook on life at the time. After graduating from university in America, Selina moved to Rome and secured her first job teaching English to Italian Journalists which lead to Selina becoming a Journalist too.  Living in Rome for four years gave Selina the opportunity to hear great music being performed all over the city in churches and concert halls with wonderful choral singing too.  Before we come to Selina’s final track we will hear a great country music song which is dedicated to her late farther who did encouraged Selina to write ‘Life Unseen - A story of Blindness’.  You will be able to hear the full hour long version of Selina’s Tracks of My Life on RNIB Connect Radio, Thursday 21 December at 1pm and again on Christmas Eve, Sunday 24 December at 7pm. To find out more about ‘Life Unseen - A History of Blindness’ by Selina Mills do visit the following pages of the Bloomsbury website - https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/life-unseen-9781848856905/ Image shows a photograph of Selina wearing a black top with a red and white pattern on it and pearl earrings with a bookshelf and a framed picture in the background.

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this special RNIB Connect Radio 20th Anniversary podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by Jonathan Abro, a Freelance IT Professional who specialises  in accessible technology for everyone. Jonathan is a Trustee of VocalEyes, a Tech for Life Volunteer here at the RNIB and a member of Retina UK. Although being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa in 1992 this has not stoped Jonathan in his travels, exploring many parts of the world with his partner Annie.  Jonathan’s musical Tracks of My Life journey starts with life growing up in the South African country side and a move to Durban at the end of school life for him.   We then follow Jonathan to Johannesburg where he starts out on his career in computer programming and also working nights at the Roxy Rhythm Bar, oh and enjoying the music too.   Then we will join Jonathan as he travels around the world for the first time before a move to the more independent UK for him as a visually impaired person where he met his partner Annie.   Before we come to Jonathan’s final track we will hear all about his and Annie’s   adventures as they travel from Antarctica to Los Angeles.   Image shows Jonathan sitting on the snow and ice of Antarctica with some penguins in the photo and snowy mountains in the background.

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this special RNIB Connect Radio 20th Anniversary podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by World Blind Sailing Champion and Commodore of Blind Sailing UK Lucy Hodges MBE.  Lucy’s Tracks of My Life musical journey starts with early life at home growing up as a visually impaired child with lots of support from her parents. It was only apparent to Lucy how different life was for her and her parents when she had a conversation with her Mother when she was in her early 20s.  We will of course hear all about how Lucy got into sailing, first with her Dad, then to taking part in organised blind sailing weekends and week long trips with fond memories of the occasional sing-a-long with friends at the end of a great days sailing.    Then to more competitive sailing for Lucy and taking part in her first World Blind Sailing Championships in Miami in 1999, winning many silver medals before winning  her first gold medal in Japan in 2017 with mixed emotions on the winners podium as the closing ceremony of a championships marks the end of a week of great sailing racing.  Before we come to Lucy’s final track we will hear all about a time when Lucy was recovering from quite a serious illness and then to a happier time when Lucy met her partner Gavin. If you are interested in getting in to sailing as a blind or partially sighted person and maybe a bit of racing too then do visit the  Blind Sailing UK website where you will find out more about opportunities for you to start sailing and race training too -  https://www.gbrblindsailing.co.uk Image: RNIB Connect Radio Bright Green 20th Anniversary Logo

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this special RNIB Connect Radio 20th Anniversary podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by Dr Hazel McFarlane MBE, a disability activist and researcher who has worked in and alongside the sight loss and disability sectors for over 30 years. Hazel’s contribution to the sight loss sector was acknowledged earlier this year when she was awarded an MBE for services to people with sight loss,  in the King’s Birthday Honours List. Hazel’s Tracks of My Life musical journey starts at home, growing up with her twin sister and two older sisters, going to a mainstream school which was quite unusual at the time.   Then to a powerful time for Hazel when she was involved in the Disability Movement in the early 1990s, campaigning for disability rights and along with many other disabled people helping to force the government to set up the Disability Discrimination Act. After a track dedicated to her son Michael we will hear a track that marks the time in 2005 when Hazel gained her PhD and a validation that the education system that Hazel had gone through had got it wrong for her at the time with not the best support for a visually impaired young person. We will then come to a beautiful piece of classical music that has a bit of a military connection which marks the time when Hazel met her partner.   And before we come to Hazel’s final track we have a track that holds great memories for Hazel of New Year’s Eve 2019 which her parents got up and danced to.  Image: RNIB Connect Radio Bright Green 20th Anniversary Logo

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby was joined by Richard Lane, a Medical Science Journalist who worked for the Lancet for 19 years and may be one of the only or if not very few blind wine Teachers having qualified as a Wine Educator with the Wine Spirit and Education Trust in 2021. You can find out more about Richard by visiting his LinkedIn profile -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-lane-6ab71b219/ (Image shows a head and shoulders shot of Richard, a white man with grey hair, in a burgundy shirt with white dots, smiling towards the camera in his garden with some plants and a green shed in the background)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby was joined by Broadcaster, Author and Climber Red Szell who for six years presented Read On the Audio Book show here on RNIB Connect Radio and can now be found presenting the AMI show My Life in Books. To find out more about Red’s AMI show My Life in Books do visit the following website - https://www.ami.ca/My-Life-Books/recent_episodes (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby was joined by Itto Outini, a totally blind and multilingual journalist, public speaker, and Fulbright scholar. Born and raised in the mountains of Morocco, Itto was deprived of education as a child. At 17, her uncle’s wife blinded her, and her family abandoned her in the hospital. Itto spent six years homeless before graduating from high school at 23 and, with support from an American couple, pursuing her BA in applied linguistics. In 2017, Itto came to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship to pursue a Master’s in journalism. Itto is now a permanent resident in the US and lives with her husband, Mekiya in Kansas City, Missouri. You can find out more about Itto by visiting her LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ittooutini/ (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by visually impaired Professional Artist, Contemporary Sculptor and sight loss charity Ambassador, Victoria Claire, who was first diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at the age of 19. This autumn will see a final exhibition of her work in Ireland as Victoria retires from the art industry to start a new chapter in her life. We will start Victoria’s Tracks of my Life journey with Victoria at the age of 5 or 6 with the theme to that classic film and subsequent TV series from the early 1980s Fame, which was all about wanting to make it in the performing arts and to live forever with memories of the clothes style from that time including the leg warmers!  Then we move to Art College time for Victoria with fond memories of college life with a track from her favourite movie from those days, Top Gun. At the time Victoria and her best friend from college who also loved the film, gave each other nicknames from the film, Victoria was Maverick and her friend was Goose. Although having been diagnosed with RP at the age of 19 at this time Victoria was still able to drive and they both used to boo bomb their cars along with Danger Zone blaring out of their car stereos.  Next we will come to a track which is definitely a bit of a club anthem to mark those days of club life for Victoria with memories of going to clubs with a good group of friends during those College days and also dancing the night away at the Ministry of Sound and other clubs in London. Then it is off back packing around America for Victoria with one of her best friends and a trip to do while Victoria had some good useful vision to take in all that was visually on offer from that trip. Before we come to Victoria’s final track, the one that she would like to pass on to others. We have two very powerful tracks for Victoria one that helped Victoria get through quite a difficult time in her life when she felt lost and alone and another dance track that reminds Victoria that even in her darkest of hours music can lift her and make her want to get up and dance. To find out more about Victoria do visit her website - https://www.victoriaclaire-beyondvision.com (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by visually impaired Liverpudlian comedian and actor Chris McCausland, who you may have seen as a guest recently on many TV panel shows. Chris also took his topical comedy to the Royal Albert Hall for his first appearance in front of members of the Royal Family for the 2021 Royal Variety Performance. We will start Chris’ Tracks of My Life journey with his early life growing up in Liverpool and a love of the Back to the Future films which remains his favourite film trilogy today. The Back to the Future films also inspired his love of all things time travel related which got Chris into a very specific type of Sci-Fi which he still indulges in today.   Then we will come to the first vinyl record that Chris brought aged 11 when he was at Worcester College which was Trash by Alice Cooper and Chris still has that same record from those early school days which actually still plays today. As Chris says at that age his musical tastes were more influenced by older kids  at school and it was a lot of cheesy hair metal time for him back then. We then have a track by Chris’ favourite band Nirvana and one from their MTV Unplugged album which took his musical tastes down a more grungy American route. With memories of how back in Liverpool when Nirvana’s Unplugged show was on MTV, he asked a friendly guy in the street to tape the show on to VHS for him to watch again later and how that Nirvana MTV Unplugged record has been a bit of a comfort blanket for Chris over the years. We will then hear how Chris and his wife first met while he was performing up in Edinburgh and a track by Perl Jam that they used to sing along too together in the car and one that he proposed to his wife to at a Pearl Jam concert in Hyde Park with thousands of people around them and maybe not the best lyrics to propose to! Chris’ Tracks of My Life journey will then step back to University days and his time down in Kingston upon Thames, how a lecturer at the RNC encouraged him to apply to University, why he decided to choose Kingston, with again more widening of his musical tastes and how he has still kept in touch with some of his University friends from back then. Oh and not forgetting all the gigging he did during those University years to see many different bands too! Chris will then reflect on how the Covid Pandemic and all the lockdowns affected him as a Comedian and performer, not being able to get out there and gig, although he was lucky in many ways as he did a lot of radio and TV work during the lockdowns. It was hard for Chris not being able to go out gigging, but it was as he says good for his health and mind to have a break from touring for a while. More time at home gave Chris time to rediscover new music and again widen his album collection  too. For his final track Chris will first talk about the track he would have liked to have chosen, a track by a blind rapper which we could not have played on the station due to the language, but he thinks people should definitely look him up though. His actual final track is one from the musical The Greatest Showman, a musical his daughter loves, and the track was performed by Keala Settle at last year’s Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall where Chris performed too. Chris was very lucky to be on his own in the Royal Albert Hall to watch a very moving rehearsal performance by Keala Settle too. This track certainly for Chris sums up so much of his life where he is now, his comedy career, his home life and a new found love of musicals too! If you would like to find out more about Chris, details of when he is next out and about gigging, sign up to his mailing list or just have a watch or listen to some of his comedy then why not visit his website for more - https://chrismccausland.com You can catch the hour-long version of Tracks of My Life with Toby’s guest’s music tracks in full by tuning in to RNIB Connect Radio every Tuesday at 7pm, repeated on Thursday at 1pm and Sunday at 8pm.  Please note that there will be an extra repeat of Chris McCausland’s Tracks of My Life this Easter Bank Holiday Monday (18 April 2022) at 5pm too. (Image shows Chris in a dark blue denim shirt with his hands behind his back, smiling towards the camera)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life, Toby is joined by Vision Australia’s Senior Adaptive Technology Consultant and all-round tech guru David Woodbridge. We will start David’s Tracks of my Life journey with a Simon and Garfunkel track that takes David back to life in his early twenties working as a Social Worker around direct drug and Alcohol crisis counselling which may have been a lot to take on at such an early age. A job that he was in a way pushed into as a good career for a blind person because all blind people are good at listening! Social work at the time was a job that gave David  real job satisfaction as he did hear back from a couple of his clients who told him how much his counselling had helped them to turn their life around.      We will then move to the early 80s with the theme music to the TV show Knight Rider although it was more of the technology that the car Kit had rather than the acting that impressed David at the time. It was around this time when David started getting into working with technology through a nun that he met at work who used to work on a computer that she labeled Moses and she would say to David let’s go up and chat with Moses! She also encouraged David to do what ever he wanted to do in life which  inspired him to make a career change from social work to technology; which he had always wanted to get in to before he took the social work route. We then have a track that is for younger children and their parents or just people like David with a real passion for storytelling and making stories up for their children. Followed by a track that is dedicated to his second wife with David telling the story of how they first met on a commuter train late one night, not quite Brief Encounter but very much a chance meeting that was slightly helped by David’s Guide Dog at the time. Before we come to David’s final track we first have a track that very much reflects his out look on life and maybe a view that has been influenced by him becoming a Grandad. Then a track that will certainly spark people’s imagination and maybe make them think about how inaccessible the world can be but with a bit of thought and maybe just thinking for a moment the world could become a better place for everyone.  You can catch the hour-long version of Tracks of My Life with Toby’s guest’s music tracks in full by tuning in to RNIB Connect Radio every Tuesday at 7pm, repeated on Thursday at 1pm and Sunday at 8pm. (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by visually impaired Artist Angela Blackwell who, as she says, ‘Came out as a blind Artist’ through her recent Arts Council funded exhibition ‘What are You Looking At?’. We will start Angela’s Tracks of my Life journey at the age of twelve at a very normal comprehensive school, starting to get into music and going to her first gig with a friend who’s Brother gave them tickets to see the Police in concert in Brighton. Her friend’s Brother offered cotton wool to protect their ears as the concert would be very loud but Angela refused the offer, she loved it all and a truly memorable experience that changed her life for ever. We will then move on a couple of years to secondary school for Angela, getting into art, the influences of the music, fashion and culture of the early 80s. An iconic performance by Julian Cope with Teardrop Explodes on Top of the Pops with Julian wearing a nightshirt and his frizzy blonde hair an image at the time that Angela could really relate to. We then move to Art College time for Angela at Worthing Art College when Angela was a Goth for a few years. A Saturday job at a bakery in Brighton which helped to pay for those Saturday night’s out along with  maybe a gig in the week too. Then after Art College Angela started working at Our Price Records where she met her husband to be, buying their first house together in Brighton and a trip to New York with tickets coming from a free offer at the time with a purchase of a Hoover vacuum cleaner. The offer had very tight conditions for the tickets but thankfully as they both worked in the record store they could get the time off. After spending time in New York and before returning back home they went on to Vegas and LA too.  Some of the experiences of that trip to America also fed back into elements of Angela’s paintings at the time.  We will then have a track that marks the time when Angela and her Husband got married in a registry office in Bridport with the track raising a few eye brows at the time as maybe not the usual type of music to be played out during a service at a registry office.  Next we come to a track that marks the time when Angela and her husband brought their beloved camper van which they have had many adventures in with Angela’s Guide Dog too and some trips to the beauty of the English Riviera. Before we come to Angela’s final track Angela will reflect on how, as she says, coming out as a ‘blind artist’ through her recent exhibition ‘What Are You Looking At?’, has in a way made her freer as an artist with people now knowing that she is an artist who just happens to be visually impaired too. You can catch the hour-long version of Tracks of My Life with Toby’s guest’s music tracks in full by tuning in to RNIB Connect Radio every Tuesday at 7pm, repeated on Thursday at 1pm and Sunday at 8pm. (Image shows Angela smiling and wearing a navy blue blouse with small white dots in front of a white wallpaper background with repeated illustrations in black pen of a woman posing wearing a raincoat and boots interspersed with bins with a drawing of a dog on them with red blotting over the images)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by Mark Upton the first blind Chief Executive of OxEyes, the local sight loss charity supporting blind and partially sighted people in Oxfordshire. We will start Mark’s Tracks of My Life journey at the age of 14 with a rock album that featured many great guitar solos which could be described as the best air guitar album in the world and one that kick started his love of rock and heavy music. This album also started his discovery of, as he says, real music for him too with a certain Queen track that was featured famously in that classic 80s film Wayne's World. We then move to GCSE exam time for Mark and school days that were perhaps not the best for him with a track that takes him back to those spring days when he knew school was almost over and that sense of freedom which was just a couple of months away. Although with maybe a bit of an unknown future ahead for Mark. Then to college for Mark which he says were his lost years in a way doing a practical course in wood work that probably was not the best choice thinking about a future career but a choice that his parents fully supported him in. Although Mark had a small group of good friends at college, in some ways he felt that he did not really fit in. College was very different to school and there was again that sense of freedom during this time marked by another heavy rock track from an album that Mark used to listen to and get lost in on the train journey in and out to college. We then come to a change in Mark’s musical tastes which was influenced by one of his house mates when he was living in Chichester working in retail for a short period of time before starting on his career in the sight loss sector. One day by chance Mark came across a job at 4Sight (formally West Sussex Association for the Blind) when browsing the internet and joined 4Sight as an Assistant Out Reach Worker. A job that Mark says he could be good at, he could enjoy and one where he felt he was able to give something back to other visually impaired people and an amazing start to his career in the sight loss sector. Before we come to Mark’s final track, we have one for his wife Erika who he met through a dating site when he moved to Oxford to join OxEyes and a track for their son who arrived in to the world in the autumn of 2020 from one of Mark's favourite films, 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' which mark used to sing to him when he was in the womb and as a baby too. You can catch the hour-long version of Tracks of My Life with Toby’s guest’s music tracks in full by tuning in to RNIB Connect Radio every Tuesday at 7pm, repeated on Thursday at 1pm and Sunday at 8pm. (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by easy listening music fan and presenter of Connect Radio’s Sunset Melodies show, Gary Moritz. Gary’s Tracks of My Life journey will start with his preschool days and time spent round at his Grand Parents home. Gary’s grandmother had a profound influence over the years on his musical taste and feeding his fascination with nostalgia which would later form the foundation for his Connect Radio show Sunset Melodies. We will then move to teenage years for Gary and his discovery of the music of Elvis Presley which then lead Gary to appreciate his Mum’s record collection and introducing Gary to easy listening vocalists. Then later to the discovery of Frank Sinatra which started with a track from what might be the very first concept album. With fond memories also of spending many hours in a local record shop collecting Rock 'n' Roll records and later of course Frank Sinatra records too. At the age of 16 Gary was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) which came as a shock to Gary and his Mum at the time. Being diagnosed at an early age and knowing that he wouldn’t be able to drive Gary decided to travel and at the age of 19 Gary along with a close friend went on an Elvis inspired trip to Hawaii. Sadly towards the end of their time in Hawaii a hurricane hit which forced them to stay in their hotel watching old films on the TV and seeing the musical An American In Paris really started Gary’s love of old movies. Gary will then reflect on his time playing cricket at Stanmore Cricket Club under the captaincy of his Dad who was a pretty good Cricketer. Gary even played alongside a famous England cricketer and he has fond memories of great times in the club bar after the games listening to engaging stories from some of the older members of the club. Due to the deterioration of his sight there came a time for Gary when he had to give up playing Club Cricket which gave him the opportunity to spend his free weekends painting in his art studio which included painting portraits of Rock ’n’ Roll and Pop stars while listening to the Des Carrington show on the radio which furthered Gary’s love of easy listening music. Gary will then reflect on the time when he started out as a mobile DJ with 15 years of disco work which expanded his musical tastes further into 70's and 80's music and recalling how a certain disco track which was always a good floor filler! Before we come to his final track Gary will talk about the time when he decided to take medical retirement from his office job to bring up his children at home. With very fond memories of fun times with the kids and playing at full volume one of his easy listening tracks that his kids would also sing along to. You can catch the hour-long version of Tracks of My Life with Toby’s guest’s music tracks in full by tuning in to RNIB Connect Radio every Tuesday at 7pm, repeated on Thursday at 1pm and Sunday at 8pm. To hear Sunset Melodies with Gary do tune in to RNIB Connect Radio every Wednesday at 7pm repeated Sunday at 6pm.  (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them. Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future. In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by Lord Colin Low of Dalston CBE, former Chair and now Vice President of the RNIB. We will start Colin’s Tracks of My Life journey with an essay on the composer Hugo Wolf which won Colin a scholarship to Queen’s College, Oxford with fond memories for Colin of many good relationships made at the time and an ‘opening of his ears’ as Colin says in Oxford to a wider range of classical music and composers. We will then focus in on a particular vivid performance for Colin at the regular English Bach Festival in Oxford of Messiaen’s Turangalila symphony that swept Colin up into the music of Messiaen. Colin feels that the Turangalila symphony is a great example of modern classical music which is very accessible and exciting to listen to and get immersed in.  Then we come to an uplifting performance of Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe and for Colin as someone who has played the piano it is not just the performance but the understanding of how the music has been put together that really enhances Colin’s enjoyment of music when it is being performed live.  We return back to the English Bach Festival in Oxford but this time a few years later with an almost three hour long enjoyable Sunday afternoon performance of another Messiaen piece but this time for solo piano which was heavily inspired by bird song and again for Colin, a bit of an insider's view of the music with his background in piano playing.   Then to fond memories for Colin of a trip to Bayreuth, the home of Wagner which was helped by some of that scholarship money Colin won to support him through his studies in Oxford and the trip really started Colin’s great love of Wagner. The more Colin listened to Wagner the more  he became under the spell of this great composer. Then time for a bit of Jazz and a track by a well-known blind American Jazz Pianist Art Tatum which Colin was very much swept up by when he was first introduced to Art’s great jazz piano playing. Before we reach Colin’s final track, time for Colin to reflect on his work in the House of Lords and whether he feels life for blind and partially sighted people has got better over the years or is there still a lot more that needs to be done to improve society for visually impaired people and of course all disabled people too. You can catch the hour-long version of Tracks of My Life with Toby’s guest’s music tracks in full by tuning in to RNIB Connect Radio every Tuesday at 7pm, repeated on Thursday at 1pm and Sunday at 8pm. (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)