This showed up on the Pirate Radio newsgroup...

[troche@...]

This is a tribute from the first radio station John Peel ever worked on 1961
in Dallas.

Legendary BBC announcer John Peel's career started at WRR
Peel co-hosted WRR blues program 'Kat's Karavan' in early 1960s
WRR Press Release

John Peel (1939-2004)
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (Aug. 30. 1939 - Oct. 25, 2004), known
professionally as John Peel, was a British disc jockey and radio
personality. He was one of the original DJs of BBC Radio 1. Known for his
wide range of taste in music, Peel was one of the most popular and respected
DJs in the United Kingdom. Peel was a recipient of the Order of the British
Empire (OBE) for his services in broadcasting. Ironically, Peel got his
start in radio not in the UK, but in Dallas, Texas at WRR 1310 AM.

Peel was born into a well-off family in Heswall near Liverpool . After
completing his National Service, he traveled to America and worked for WRR.
Peel recalled his start at WRR in a recent BBC interview: "I started off in
1961 in Dallas with WRR. I introduced the second hour of 'Kat's Karavan,' a
rhythm and blues program." Peel also noted: "I got the job because I had
some records [WRR] didn't, specifically an LP by Lightnin' Hopkins, a Texas
blues-man."

Peel died of a heart attack at age 65 on Oct. 25, 2004 while on a working
holiday in the Inca city of Cuzco in Peru.

Mayor of Dallas, Laura Miller said: "WRR has been a pioneer of radio
broadcasting since 1921. John Peel's love of broadcasting and music was a
grounding force for the station. He will be missed not only by his BBC fans
in England, but also by the many broadcasting enthusiasts in Dallas."

WRR general manager Greg Davis noted: "WRR benefited greatly from John
Peel's vast knowledge and his indomitable love of music. WRR extends its
deepest condolences to the BBC and Peel family."

"Kat's Karavan" was the brainchild of WRR program director Jim Lowe (1928
-
2000). The program, which focused on the rich tapestry of African American
blues music, aired from 1953-1967, weeknights 10:30 p.m. - midnight. Lowe
hosted the first half of the show. Beginning in 1961, Peel hosted the second
half of the show.

"Kat's Karavan's" gritty blues format proved popular with Texas teenagers
looking for an alternative to the often-sanitized pop music of the period. A
recently discovered recording of a WRR "Kat's Karavan" radio broadcast
from
1961 is available for listening at the WRR Web site:
http://www.wrr101.com/headlines/kats_karavan.shtml. Although the audio
recording predates Peel's arrival at WRR by several months, it illustrates
the flavor of the program.

It is believed that Peel co-hosted the "Kat's Karavan" program for a couple
of years. By 1967, Peel had returned to the UK and was on his way to
international celebrity as announcer for BBC's Radio 1, where he would host
such shows as "Top Gear" and "The John Peel Show."

Licensed in 1921, WRR is Texas' first radio station and the second oldest
commercially licensed station in the United States. WRR is the only 24-hour
classical radio station in Texas. WRR 101.1 FM broadcasts from historic Fair
Park in Dallas at 100,000 watts and is heard throughout North Texas. WRR
simulcasts its terrestrial broadcast on the Internet at www.wrr101.com.

http://www.wrr101.com/headlines/peel_john.shtml