Date: 16 August 2010
Originally published in: Digital Spy website (UK)
Written by: Andrew Laughlin
New entertainment channel Vintage TV has unveiled its debut programming lineup for its launch next month on Sky and Freesat. On September 1 at 6pm, the channel will start broadcasting a 24-hour schedule of music and popular culture content aimed at over-50s. Led by Paul Gambaccini, Vintage TV’s presentation lineup will include Tony Blackburn, Sally James, David ‘Kid’ Jensen, David Hamilton and Ed Stewart, along with veteran musicians Rick Wakeman and Kim Wilde.
The channel will air a mixed schedule of programming and specially-created videos for songs that were in the charts prior to 1976, when promotional music videos did not exist. Using footage and images from some of the world’s leading archive collections – including Getty Images, ITN Source and the BBC – the broadcaster has created videos for songs such as ‘Not Fade Away’ by The Rolling Stones, ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ by The Shirelles and ‘If I Can Dream’ by Elvis Presley.
On its launch day, Vintage TV will open with a welcome programme, before airing two and a half hours of vintage music videos presented by Gambaccini, Blackburn and Wilde. After the debut episode of alternative talkshow Me And Mrs Jones – which is hosted by Wakeman and music journalist Lesley-Ann Jones – the channel will air the last filmed performance by jazz legend Louis Armstrong at the 1970 Newport Jazz Festival.
Accompanied by fellow music legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Owens, Bobby Hackett and Wild Bill Davison, the film depicts Armstrong performing many of his greatest hits, including ‘Pennies From Heaven’, ‘Blueberry Hill’ and ‘What A Wonderful World’.
Other highlights in Vintage TV’s first month of broadcasting will include the Jimi Hendrix 40th Anniversary Celebration on September 18, as well as transmission of archive concerts from Dionne Warwick, Duran Duran and BB King & Joan Baez. David Pick, founder and chief executive of Vintage TV, said: “Vintage TV is essentially a unique celebration of everything which has defined and shaped popular music since its genesis in the 1940s, as well as a reflection of how music is enjoyed today. With its mix of original programming, classic concert footage, brand new music videos and the expertise of a wide range of experienced presenters and pundits to infuse yet more life into the music, Vintage TV will be a unique channel delivering musical content which isn’t available elsewhere on TV.”