The Album-Friendly Intimacy Of Progressive FM Radio Since 1979
With Exclusive Interviews
Thx for 30 years of inspiration! (Click for details)
My thoughts on the wonderful band Dream Aria! (Click for details) Performing LIVE on Classic FM Friday July 13th 2008!
With Annie Haslam backstage at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, Pa. 12.27.02
Annie's paintings are on display at her website!
With Ann Burstyn from Dream Aria, 8.26.06
With Glenn Hughes 8.26.06
With Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues at The Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ 8.11.07
With Keith Emerson at The Colonial Theatre in phoenixville, Pa. Saturday 6.17.06
With Steve Hackett backstage at The Keswick Theatre 10.13.05
With Jean Luc Ponty backstage at The Keswick Theatre 9.20.07
With Mitch Ryder at The Sellersville Theatre 10.7.07
With Carl Palmer in Philadelphia 5.3.06
With members of The Strawbs at Tin Angel in Philadelphia. L-R Chas Cronk, Gene Godfrey, Dave Lambert, Dave Cousins 10.15.06
With singer/songwriter Liat 7.29.07
With Jon Pousette-Dart late October '07
With Richard Bush from The Peace Creeps at The Tin Angel in Philadelphia Spring '07
With Stephen Butler of Smash Palace 9.16.06
With Mary Lee of Mary Lee's Corvette and Stephen Butler of Smash Palace October '06
With Roger McGuinn 11.18.06
With Roger McGuinn at The Ritz in Oaklyn, NJ 5.11.06
With Spider Miranda 6.10.07
With Gina Kaz (L) and Trisha O'Keefe (R) in the studio in May '06
L-R Top: Trisha O'Keefe, Andrew Lipke, Gene Godfrey. L-R Bottom: Laura Shay and Claire Dilullo, at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia 10.14.06
With John Faye of IKE 11.9.06
With Laura Shay in the studio 6.16.06
With Melody Gardot in the studio in early June '06
With Melody Gardot at The Ritz in Oaklyn, NJ 5.11.06
With Dave Mason backstage at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, Pa. 3.11.06
With Kate Gaffney 3.24.06
With Caryn Lin 3.4.06
With Trisha O'Keefe 1.14.06
With Shannon Kennedy (L) and Pete Veru (R) of Feathermerchants 4.2.06
With Gina Kaz 4.7.06
With Ian Hunter at Finnegan's Wake, Philadelphia, 3.23.05
With Laura Cheadle and her brother Jim 11.19.05
With David Sancious at The Sellersville Theatre 4.23.05
With Tracy Grammer and Jim Henry at The Sellersville Theatre 4.23.05
With Allan Holdsworth backstage at The Point, Bryn Mawr, Pa. 1.14.05
With Iain Matthews at The Point in Bryn Mawr, Pa. 10.10.04
With Jon Anderson from YES at The Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pa. on a VERY cold 1.10.04!
With (L-R) Rod Argent; Colin Blunstone; Michael Tearson
At The Scottish Rite Auditorium, Collingswood, NJ 10.14.04
With Roger Dean at NEARfest, Bethlehem, NJ, Summer 2004
With Roye Albrighton from Nektar at The Keswick Theatre 9.24.04
With a few members of Caravan at The Keswick Theatre 9.24.04
L-R: Jan Schelhaas; Gene Godfrey; Pye Hastings; Doug Boyle.
With Mary Fahl at The Tin Angel, Philadelphia 6.3.03
With Dave Cousins of The Strawbs at the Tin Angel, Philadelphia 5.10.03
L-R: 88.9 WBZC's Michael Tearson; Dave Cousins, Dave Lambert, and Brian Willoughby (The Acoustic Strawbs) and Gene Godfrey
With John Ford of The Strawbs May 2004
With Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre at Musikfest 2003, Bethlehem, Pa. 8.9.03
With Jethro Tull keyboardist Andrew Giddings at Musikfest 2003, Bethlehem, Pa. 8.9.03
With Feathermerchants at The Point in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Fall 2003
With Phidelphia's own Kenn Kweder and guitarist John Hennesey in our WBZC studios.
_________________________________________________
Some of my favorite discs from 2003
"Classic FM" is an eclectic program reviving the mood and setting of a wonderful period of FM radio... The album-friendliness of the "Progressive Era" of rock, folk and progressive rock, formed in the late 60's through the 70's featuring exclusive interviews. I treat current releases the same... New discs by many of these artists are very welcome here, and deservedly so.
___________________________________________________
"...I have nothing against the "hits" but that's all you get from radio these days and there's so much more out there."
"For instance, “The Creation Of Adam,” on The Sistine Chapel ceiling, the hand of God reaching for Adam, is Michealangelo’s “Greatest Hit,” so to speak. However, the rest of this magnificent painting is just as breathtaking! But not many have seen it! And they’d be just as awed if they could. --This is how I view released music. --Performers write entire albums from within their hearts and souls and it deserves to be heard. There’s definitely more to an album than just a “hit single!”
--Gene Godfrey, Host/Producer of Classic FM. ___________________________________________________
Having said that... Welcome to Classic FM!
I'm Gene Godfrey. I’ve been in commercial and non commercial radio since the fall of 1979, and developed "Classic FM" in the early 80's, after this type of radio was abbandoned by commercial radio. (See the "History" link at bottom).
It's FM radio's original idea from this period the way we remember it as being so kind to the music, playing more than just the "hit single." Classic FM brings back those deep, sleeping classics, and digs deeper into the new releases giving new life to that former FM radio scene.
Featuring the majestic sounds of bands like Genesis, Yes, Renaissance, Jethro Tull, The Strawbs, ELP, King Crimson, McDonald and Giles, Traffic, Pink Floyd; Van Der Graff Generator, Soft Machine and Caravan, etc.
...psychedelic era groups like Jefferson Airplane, Mandrake Memorial, It's A Beautiful Day, Moby Grape, and The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown;
...jazzier bands like Blood, Sweat And Tears, The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan; Climax Blues Band; or Sea Level;
...folkier artists like Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention;
...singer/songwriters like Sandy Denny, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Hardin, Janis Joplin, Tom Rush, Joni Mitchell, Tim Moore, Graham Parker and Elvis Costello;
Guest List Over The Years
Dave Pegg
Simon Nicol
Iain Matthews (x3)
Justin Hayward
Dave Cousins (x3)
Dave Lambert
John Ford
Roger McGuinn (x2)
Keith Emerson (x2)
Carl Palmer
Gary Brooker
Richard Sinclair
Pye Hastings
Al Stewart (x2)
Rod Argent
Dave Mason (x3)
Kenn Kweder (x3)
Robert Hazard
Howard Werth
Al Kooper (x2)
Tony Banks
Daryl Stuermer
Anthony Phillips
Jon Anderson (x2)
Steve Howe
Jane Relf
Janis Ian
Mary Fahl (x2)
Marina Belica (x2)
Julie Flanders
Arthur Brown
Ian Anderson
Martin Barre
Andrew Giddings
Doane Perry
David LaFlamme
Ian McDonald
Jim McCarty
Rod Clements
Roye Albrighton
Bruce White (MohoDisco)
Caryn Lin
Thea Gilmore
Feathermerchants (x2)
Josh Kesler & Rebecca Miller (Bravetheday)
David Fagin (The Rosenbergs)
Keith Christmas
Freebo
Vyktoria Pratt Keating
John Pousette-Dart
The Bigger Lovers
Wooly Wolstenholme (Barclay James Harvest)
Rick Granati
Ben Arnold
Scott Bricklin
Bill Quateman
Willy Porter
Laura Cheadle
Trisha O'Keefe
Caryn Lin
Kate Gaffney
Christina Murphy and Rob Reed of Magenta
Coming up...
My New Music segment, a new feature, airs in the 2nd hour of the show, featuring many talented new and upcoming artists, either unsigned, newly signed or independent. It's become a popular segment of the show, thx to your e-mails!
Watch this space for further Classic FM updates!
Even better,
The "Classic FM" Newsletter, for what's coming up week to week, is available by sending an e-mail request to classicfm@comcast.net
________________________________________________
Annie Haslam's talent as a painter touches me in a most wonderous way, and you too may be as touched by visiting her website where you'll find many glimpses of her paintings, along with testimonials of some who've purchased her work or have commissioned Annie to paint for them! Once again, more info is at her website.
________________________________________________
Of Special Interest...
I featured a world exclusive on April 12th 2002 for fans of Traffic!!! --Chris Wood's "Vulcan," which has never been released! I spoke with Ellie Woontner, a close friend of Chris' family, about the music and played some Traffic tunes that prominently feature Chris' sax and flute work. ***Due to popular demand I'll probably feature this interview and music again at some point.
________________________________________________
I also produce and host "A Classic FM Christmas" each year, a progressive era show full of interview segments, holiday rarities and "B" sides by the above artists and other favorites. See the "Playlist" link below for last year's set list!
Whether you call it "underground," "free form," or "progressive," I hope you find Classic FM a pleasing, eclectic sound for your Sunday!
My interviews with Ian Anderson, Dave Pegg, Doane Perry, Martin Barre and Andrew Giddings of Jethro Tull, are up at their site! Andrew's interview features the exquisite music of Vyktoria Keating, which Andy wonderfully produced!
You can also hear my interview with Bruce White, of MohoDisco at his site featuring tracks from the disc "Kaloomith."
My interview with Pete Veru of The Feathermerchants, is also available at their site.
Visit these show related links (more to come)
Listen to Classic FM On Demand Anytime!
Annie Haslam (x7)
Steve Hackett
Mo Moore
PLAYLISTS
Also check out... The Rainforest Action Network
Greenpeace
Amnesty International
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.)
The History Of Classic FM
Extensive link page to Progressive Era artist's official sites!
My thoughts on Annie Haslam
STOP the slaughter of baby seals!
