Legend

Episodios

• The Joni Mitchell Story: Trailer 26.10.2023 2m

  How did the greats become the greats? And what did it cost them to get there? Legend is a musician biography series from BBC Radio 4 exploring the life and music of the pioneering artists who shaped modern music. Series one tells the story of Joni Mitchell and explores her incomparable body of work – from her earliest home recordings to masterpieces like Blue, Court and Spark, and Hejira. It’s a story that takes us from the remote prairie towns of Saskatchewan to the bohemian idyll of Laurel Canyon; through the hippie dreams of the Woodstock generation and into the dog-eat-dog world of 1980s LA. Her path has not been straightforward. There have been lonely roads and wrong turns. Road rage, and car crashes – symbolic and real. Joni walked away from fame many times. She gave up a daughter and found her again. She came close to death more than once. And now, she’s back on stages again at the age of 80.Jesca Hoop – Presenter Mair Bosworth – Producer Eliza Lomas – Producer
• The Joni Mitchell Story: 1. Urge for Going 02.11.2023 30m

  Joni Mitchell’s songs have soundtracked our lives and her pioneering work changed music forever. Jesca Hoop explores her extraordinary story to reveal the life behind the legend.In the first episode, we hear how young Joni loves to watch the trains go by from the window of her house in a Saskatchewan prairie town. Even as a child, there is a desire to see what's around the next bend. She's a tomboy and an athlete, until polio forces her into a period of convalescence; she's no longer picked first for sports teams but when she gets the use of her legs back she rock 'n' roll dances her way through her teens. Her childhood ambition is to be a painter, but when she finally makes it to art school everything changes....“I’ve always been a creature of change” – Joni MitchellThrough archive, fresh interviews, narration, immersive sound design and an original score, we trace the story of an extraordinary life and explore what makes Joni Mitchell a singular artist: the genius of her lyrics; her incredible talent as guitarist, painter and producer; and her restless drive for innovation.In Legend, we follow Joni from her ‘flatlander’ childhood on the Canadian prairies, through the folk clubs of Toronto and Detroit, to a redwood cottage in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon, to a cave in Crete, to a deserted desert highway, to recording studios and stages around the world. From her earliest home recordings to masterpieces like Blue, Court and Spark, and Hejira, we explore some of the stories behind her best-loved songs and celebrate her remarkable return to live performance in 2023: “like seeing, in the wild, a rare bird long feared extinct” (Lindsay Zoladz). Our guide through the series is the California-born, Manchester-based musician, Jesca Hoop. Jesca speaks to musicians like Blake Mills, Allison Russell, Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe, who have played alongside Joni, and we hear tributes from those, like musician John Grant, who have been inspired and influenced by her music. We also hear from friends, including Larry Klein and Graham Nash; and from music critics and biographers, including Ann Powers, David Yaffe, Lindsay Zoladz, Kate Mossman, Barney Hoskyns, Miles Grier and Jenn Pelly.The Joni Mitchell Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producers: Mair Bosworth and Eliza Lomas Production Coordinator: Andrew Lewis Editor: Chris Ledgard Story Editor: Emma Harding Story Consultant: John Yorke Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Studio Engineers: Ilse Lademann and Michael Harrison Commissioning Editor: Daniel Clarke
• The Joni Mitchell Story: 2. Lady of the Canyon 09.11.2023 31m

  Joni Mitchell’s songs have soundtracked our lives and her pioneering work changed music forever. Jesca Hoop explores her extraordinary story to reveal the life behind the legend.In episode two we follow Joni from 1964 through to late 1969. Joni makes a 'bad marriage', signs adoption papers, leaves a bad marriage, makes it to Greenwich Village and then to LA's Laurel Canyon. We find out about the inspiration for some of her best known songs, including Little Green and Both Sides Now. In 1968, her recording career begins with her debut album 'Song to a Seagull'; with two more records following in quick succession - Clouds, and Ladies of the Canyon. In 1969, she is heartbroken to miss out on one of the biggest events of her generation - Woodstock. But - despite not getting to go - she writes a song that will help to define the event, and the era, in the popular imagination. “I’ve always been a creature of change” – Joni MitchellThrough archive, fresh interviews, narration, immersive sound design and an original score, we trace the story of an extraordinary life and explore what makes Joni Mitchell a singular artist: the genius of her lyrics; her incredible talent as guitarist, painter and producer; and her restless drive for innovation.In Legend, we follow Joni from her ‘flatlander’ childhood on the Canadian prairies, through the folk clubs of Toronto and Detroit, to a redwood cottage in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon, to a cave in Crete, to a deserted desert highway, to recording studios and stages around the world. From her earliest home recordings to masterpieces like Blue, Court and Spark, and Hejira, we explore some of the stories behind her best-loved songs and celebrate her remarkable return to live performance in 2023: “like seeing, in the wild, a rare bird long feared extinct”.Our guide through the series is the California-born, Manchester-based musician, Jesca Hoop. Jesca speaks to musicians like Blake Mills, Allison Russell, Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe, who have played alongside Joni, and we hear tributes from those, like musician John Grant, who have been inspired and influenced by her music. We also hear from Joni's friends, including Larry Klein and Graham Nash; and from music critics and biographers, including Ann Powers, David Yaffe, Lindsay Zoladz, Kate Mossman, Barney Hoskyns, Miles Grier and Jenn Pelly.The Joni Mitchell Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producers: Mair Bosworth and Eliza Lomas Production Coordinator: Andrew Lewis Editor: Chris Ledgard Story Editor: Emma Harding Story Consultant: John Yorke Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Studio Engineers: Ilse Lademann and Michael Harrison Commissioning Editor: Daniel Clarke
• The Joni Mitchell Story: 3. Blue 16.11.2023 30m

  Joni Mitchell’s songs have soundtracked our lives and her pioneering work changed music forever. Jesca Hoop explores her extraordinary story to reveal the life behind the legend.In episode three we follow Joni from 1970 through to 1974 - an incredibly fertile period during which she creates her albums Blue, For the Roses and Court and Spark. A period of romantic highs and lows, heady successes and hermit-like retreats, of psychoanalysis and vulnerability, and of new creative directions. “I’ve always been a creature of change” – Joni MitchellThrough archive, fresh interviews, narration, immersive sound design and an original score, we trace the story of an extraordinary life and explore what makes Joni Mitchell a singular artist: the genius of her lyrics; her incredible talent as guitarist, painter and producer; and her restless drive for innovation.In Legend, we follow Joni from her ‘flatlander’ childhood on the Canadian prairies, through the folk clubs of Toronto and Detroit, to a redwood cottage in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon, to a cave in Crete, to a deserted desert highway, to recording studios and stages around the world. From her earliest home recordings to masterpieces like Blue, Court and Spark, and Hejira, we explore some of the stories behind her best-loved songs and celebrate her remarkable return to live performance in 2023: “like seeing, in the wild, a rare bird long feared extinct”.Our guide through the series is the California-born, Manchester-based musician, Jesca Hoop. Jesca speaks to musicians like Blake Mills, Allison Russell, Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe, who have played alongside Joni, and we hear tributes from those, like musician John Grant, who have been inspired and influenced by her music. We also hear from Joni's friends, including Larry Klein and Graham Nash; and from music critics and biographers, including Ann Powers, David Yaffe, Lindsay Zoladz, Kate Mossman, Barney Hoskyns, Miles Grier and Jenn Pelly.The Joni Mitchell Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producers: Mair Bosworth and Eliza Lomas Production Coordinator: Andrew Lewis Editor: Chris Ledgard Story Editor: Emma Harding Story Consultant: John Yorke Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Studio Engineers: Ilse Lademann and Michael Harrison Commissioning Editor: Daniel Clarke
• The Joni Mitchell Story: 4. Refuge of the Roads 23.11.2023 31m

  Joni Mitchell’s songs have soundtracked our lives and her pioneering work changed music forever. Jesca Hoop explores her extraordinary story to reveal the life behind the legend.In episode four we follow Joni from 1974 through to 1978. In 1974 Court and Spark is released to huge acclaim but already Joni is heading in new directions musically. This is the era of The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Hejira and Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. Through '74 and '75 she tours extensively and joins Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue. Her creative restlessness and refusal to be put in a box take her in new directions, but also into controversial territory. “I’ve always been a creature of change” – Joni MitchellThrough archive, fresh interviews, narration, immersive sound design and an original score, we trace the story of an extraordinary life and explore what makes Joni Mitchell a singular artist: the genius of her lyrics; her incredible talent as guitarist, painter and producer; and her restless drive for innovation.In Legend, we follow Joni from her ‘flatlander’ childhood on the Canadian prairies, through the folk clubs of Toronto and Detroit, to a redwood cottage in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon, to a cave in Crete, to a deserted desert highway, to recording studios and stages around the world. From her earliest home recordings to masterpieces like Blue, Court and Spark, and Hejira, we explore some of the stories behind her best-loved songs and celebrate her remarkable return to live performance in 2023: “like seeing, in the wild, a rare bird long feared extinct” (Lindsay Zoladz). Our guide through the series is the California-born, Manchester-based musician, Jesca Hoop. Jesca speaks to musicians like Blake Mills, Allison Russell, Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe, who have played alongside Joni, and we hear tributes from those, like musician John Grant, who have been inspired and influenced by her music. We also hear from Joni's friends, including Larry Klein and Graham Nash; and from music critics and biographers, including Ann Powers, David Yaffe, Lindsay Zoladz, Kate Mossman, Barney Hoskyns, Miles Grier and Jenn Pelly.The Joni Mitchell Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producers: Mair Bosworth and Eliza Lomas Production Coordinator: Andrew Lewis Editor: Chris Ledgard Story Editor: Emma Harding Story Consultant: John Yorke Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Studio Engineers: Ilse Lademann and Michael Harrison Commissioning Editor: Daniel Clarke
• The Joni Mitchell Story: 5. Dog Eat Dog 30.11.2023 28m

  Joni Mitchell’s songs have soundtracked our lives and her pioneering work changed music forever. Jesca Hoop explores her extraordinary story to reveal the life behind the legend.In episode five, we hear how meeting a towering figure of jazz leads to a new collaboration, but Joni's hopes for a hit are unfulfilled. As the 1980s arrive, Joni continues to experiment with new sounds, but discovers the cost of being a middle-aged woman in pop. This is the decade of new politics and new love, hard knocks and bad omens. Joni experiences a series of misfortunes, and the pain of giving up her daughter resurfaces once more, in a song. “I’ve always been a creature of change” – Joni Mitchell Through archive, fresh interviews, narration, immersive sound design and an original score, we trace the story of an extraordinary life and explore what makes Joni Mitchell a singular artist: the genius of her lyrics; her incredible talent as guitarist, painter and producer; and her restless drive for innovation. We follow Joni from her ‘flatlander’ childhood on the Canadian prairies, through the folk clubs of Toronto and Detroit, to a redwood cottage in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon, to a cave in Crete, to a deserted desert highway, to recording studios and stages around the world. From her earliest home recordings to masterpieces like Blue, Court and Spark, and Hejira, we explore some of the stories behind her best-loved songs and celebrate her remarkable return to live performance in the past year: “like seeing, in the wild, a rare bird long feared extinct”.Our guide through the series is the California-born, Manchester-based musician, Jesca Hoop. We hear tributes from musicians who have played alongside Joni and from those who have been inspired and influenced by her music. We hear from friends, including Larry Klein and Graham Nash; and from music critics and biographers, including Ann Powers, David Yaffe, Lindsay Zoladz, Kate Mossman, Barney Hoskyns, Miles Grier and Jenn Pelly. The Joni Mitchell Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire). Producers: Mair Bosworth and Eliza Lomas Production Coordinator: Andrew Lewis Editor: Chris Ledgard Story Editor: Emma Harding Story Consultant: John Yorke Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Studio Engineers: Ilse Lademann and Michael Harrison
• The Joni Mitchell Story: 6. Both Sides Now 07.12.2023 29m

  Legend is a new music biography series from BBC Radio 4 exploring the extraordinary life stories of pioneering artists who changed music forever.In the final episode, we hear how Joni comes full circle. She reunites with the daughter she gave up for adoption, retires then returns to music, suffers from and then recovers from a near-fatal brain aneurysm, all those years after contracting and surviving polio. With the love and support of a community of musicians, Joni once again returns to the stage, celebrating all that she's created over 80 years. “I’ve always been a creature of change” – Joni Mitchell Through archive, fresh interviews, narration, immersive sound design and an original score, we trace the story of an extraordinary life and explore what makes Joni Mitchell a singular artist: the genius of her lyrics; her incredible talent as guitarist, painter and producer; and her restless drive for innovation. We follow Joni from her ‘flatlander’ childhood on the Canadian prairies, through the folk clubs of Toronto and Detroit, to a redwood cottage in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon, to a cave in Crete, to a deserted desert highway, to recording studios and stages around the world. From her earliest home recordings to masterpieces like Blue, Court and Spark, and Hejira, we explore some of the stories behind her best-loved songs and celebrate her remarkable return to live performance in the past year: “like seeing, in the wild, a rare bird long feared extinct”.Our guide through the series is the California-born, Manchester-based musician, Jesca Hoop. We hear tributes from musicians who have played alongside Joni and from those who have been inspired and influenced by her music. We hear from friends, including Larry Klein and Graham Nash; and from music critics and biographers, including Ann Powers, David Yaffe, Lindsay Zoladz, Kate Mossman, Barney Hoskyns, Miles Grier and Jenn Pelly. The Joni Mitchell Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire). Producers: Mair Bosworth and Eliza Lomas Production Coordinator: Andrew Lewis Editor: Chris Ledgard Story Editor: Emma Harding Story Consultant: John Yorke Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Studio Engineers: Ilse Lademann and Michael Harrison
• The Bruce Springsteen Story: Trailer 06.10.2025 1m

  How did the greats become the greats? And what did it cost them to get there? Legend is the award-winning music biography series from BBC Radio 4 exploring the lives of pioneering artists who shaped modern music.In Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, we discover how a scrawny, long-haired introvert from New Jersey became the iconic, muscular – and oft-misunderstood – rock star of the 1980s, and ultimately the eloquent elder statesmen he is now. What does his story reveal about America today? Across the series, Laura Barton takes a front-row seat at five key gigs which illuminate a different side of The Boss. She travels to Asbury Park in 1971 to hear how teenage Bruce began to learn his magic trick at The Upstage Club. She hears about his nerve-wracking London Hammersmith gig in 1975, the electrifying final night of the Born in the U.S.A tour in 1985, and his emotional homecoming show at St Rose of Lima school gym in 1996. Lastly, Laura heads to Milan to witness the final concert of his 2025 Land of Hope and Dreams tour. Featuring Bruce in his own words across the decades, alongside voices from the E Street Band, devoted fans, biographers, and critics.Listen from Friday 10 October, first on BBC Sounds. A BBC Audio Production for BBC Radio 4 Producer: Eliza Lomas Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Series Developer: Mair Bosworth Production Coordinator: Stuart Laws Additional Research: Sarah Goodman Series Editor: Emma Harding Commissioning Editors: Daniel Clarke and Matthew Dodd Assistant Commissioner Podcasts: Will Drysdale
• The Bruce Springsteen Story: 1. My Hometown 17.10.2025 28m

  How did Bruce become The Boss, and what did it cost him to get there? Laura Barton explores the extraordinary life story of Bruce Springsteen, taking a front-row seat at five important gigs to reveal the life behind the legend. Bruce’s story begins in the small factory town of Freehold, New Jersey. His father, Douglas, is distant. The love from his Grandmother Alice is fierce. His life changes forever when he hears Elvis and The Beatles, and learns the guitar. Laura travels to 23rd January, 1971. Bruce is 21 years old. This wiry figure with long curly hair takes the mic at the Upstage Club, Asbury Park. There is a vast distance between this scruffy boardwalk town venue and the stadiums he will one day fill, but Springsteen has a plan. Off stage, Bruce is a shy and introverted teenager. But when he plays, the transformation is startling. People liken it to Bruce Banner turning into the Incredible Hulk. This is where he finds his congregation - his vision of community forms here.~~~“I'm here tonight to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable, particularly these days, us. That's my magic trick.”In Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, we uncover the magic trick to discover how a scrawny, long-haired introvert from small-town New Jersey became the iconic, muscular, and oft-misunderstood rock star of the 1980s, to the eloquent elder statesmen he is now. What can his story tell us about America today? In each episode, Laura takes us to the front row of a live performance that reveals a different side of The Boss, and hears him across the decades in his own words from the archive. We'll also hear from fellow worshippers in the Church of Springsteen and disciples from the E Street Band, including drummer Max Weinberg, tributes from those influenced by Bruce, such as Bryce Dessner from The National, as well as Freehold town historian Kevin Coyne and music critics and biographers such as Richard Williams, Eric Alterman, Steven Hyden, Warren Zanes and Diane H. Winston. The Bruce Springsteen Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning Joni Mitchell Story, and the podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producers: Eliza Lomas and Mair Bosworth Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Series Developer: Mair Bosworth Production Coordinator: Stuart Laws Additional Research: Sarah Goodman Series Editor: Emma Harding Commissioning Editors: Daniel Clarke and Matthew Dodd
• The Bruce Springsteen Story: 2. Born to Run 24.10.2025 28m

  How did Bruce become The Boss, and what did it cost him to get there? Laura Barton explores the extraordinary life story of Bruce Springsteen, taking a front-row seat at five important gigs to reveal the life behind the legend.Bruce’s story continues in Asbury Park, New Jersey, where he's living above a beauty parlour, broke, writing songs amongst the hairdryers. It's here he writes his first album, Greetings From Asbury Park. And in 1975, when New York is in turmoil and America in crisis, Springsteen releases his landmark album, Born To Run. This launches him to stardom. London Hammersmith, 1975. Bruce's wildest dreams come true when the opportunity comes to perform in the home country of his greatest musical heros. But what follows is far from the Springsteen shows of exuberant legend. And this newfound fame soon comes to replace Freehold, New Jersey, as the town he wants to flee. ~~~“I'm here tonight to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable, particularly these days, us. That's my magic trick.”In Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, we uncover the magic trick to discover how a scrawny, long-haired introvert from small-town New Jersey became the iconic, muscular, and oft-misunderstood rock star of the 1980s, to the eloquent elder statesmen he is now. What can his story tell us about America today?In each episode, Laura takes us to the front row of a live performance that reveals a different side of The Boss, and hears him across the decades in his own words from the archive. We'll also hear from fellow worshippers in the Church of Springsteen and disciples from the E Street Band, including drummer Max Weinberg, tributes from those influenced by Bruce, such as Bryce Dessner from The National, as well as Freehold town historian Kevin Coyne and music critics and biographers such as Richard Williams, Eric Alterman, Steven Hyden, Warren Zanes and Diane H. Winston.The Bruce Springsteen Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning Joni Mitchell Story, and the podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producer: Eliza Lomas Series Developer: Mair Bosworth Production Coordinator: Stuart Laws Research: Sarah Goodman Series Editor: Emma Harding Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Commissioning Editors: Daniel Clarke and Matthew Dodd
• The Bruce Springsteen Story: 3. Born in the USA 31.10.2025 28m

  How did Bruce become The Boss, and what did it cost him to get there? Laura Barton explores the extraordinary life story of Bruce Springsteen, taking a front-row seat at five important gigs to reveal the life behind the legend.Bruce's story continues in rural Holmdel, New Jersey, alone with a four-track tape recorder. He goes back into his childhood, drives the streets of his early years, searching for answers. Looking for meaning. The seminal album, Nebraska, is what comes out. What happens next is an unravelling. And then a rebuilding. The Bruce who returns is unrecognisable. "He's got muscles now. Does that mean we have to get muscles now?!" - Warren Zanes. The album Born In The USA, with the anthemic album track and hit single Dancing In The Dark, takes Bruce stratospheric. In October, 1985, after two years and 156 shows, the Born In The USA tour comes to a close at the Coliseum Los Angeles. Four sold out nights of 80,000 people. The final night is one of melancholy and of joy. And a foreboding of change to come. ~~~“I'm here tonight to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable, particularly these days, us. That's my magic trick.”In Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, we uncover the magic trick to discover how a scrawny, long-haired introvert from small-town New Jersey became the iconic, muscular, and oft-misunderstood rock star of the 1980s, to the eloquent elder statesmen he is now. What can his story tell us about America today?In each episode, Laura takes us to the front row of a live performance that reveals a different side of The Boss, and hears him across the decades in his own words from the archive. We'll also hear from fellow worshippers in the Church of Springsteen, and disciples from the E Street Band, including drummer Max Weinberg, tributes from those influenced by Bruce, such as Bryce Dessner from The National, as well as Freehold town historian Kevin Coyne and music critics and biographers such as Richard Williams, Eric Alterman, Steven Hyden, Warren Zanes and Diane H. Winston.The Bruce Springsteen Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning Joni Mitchell Story, and the podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producer: Eliza Lomas Series Developer: Mair Bosworth Production Coordinator: Stuart Laws Research: Sarah Goodman Series Editor: Emma Harding Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Commissioning Editors: Daniel Clarke and Matthew Dodd
• The Bruce Springsteen Story: 4. The Promise 07.11.2025 28m

  How did Bruce become The Boss, and what did it cost him to get there? Laura Barton explores the extraordinary life story of Bruce Springsteen, taking a front-row seat at five important gigs to reveal the life behind the legend.Bruce is living in Hollywood, L.A, making music without his long-time bandmates. It's a time of Bruce being far away from his roots - and from some of his most loyal fans. But a homecoming concert in his school gym in Freehold, New Jersey marks a turning point.~~~“I'm here tonight to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable, particularly these days, us. That's my magic trick.”In Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, we uncover the magic trick to discover how a scrawny, long-haired introvert from small-town New Jersey became the iconic, muscular, and oft-misunderstood rock star of the 1980s, to the eloquent elder statesmen he is now. What can his story tell us about America today?In each episode, Laura takes us to the front row of a live performance that reveals a different side of The Boss, and hears him across the decades in his own words from the archive. We'll also hear from fellow worshippers in the Church of Springsteen and disciples from the E Street Band, including drummer Max Weinberg, tributes from those influenced by Bruce, such as Bryce Dessner from The National, as well as Freehold town historian Kevin Coyne, former Asbury Park Press music critic Kelly Jane Cotter, and biographers such as Eric Alterman, Steven Hyden and Warren Zanes.The Bruce Springsteen Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning Joni Mitchell Story, and the podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producer: Eliza Lomas Series Development: Mair Bosworth Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Production Coordinator: Stuart Laws Research: Sarah Goodman Series Editor: Emma Harding Commissioning Editors: Daniel Clarke and Matthew Dodd
• The Bruce Springsteen Story: 5. The Land of Hope and Dreams 14.11.2025 28m

  How did Bruce become The Boss, and what did it cost him to get there? Laura Barton explores the extraordinary life story of Bruce Springsteen, taking a front-row seat at five important gigs to reveal the life behind the legend.In our final chapter, we trace Bruce’s journey to his latest tour - The Land of Hope and Dreams - where he speaks out on stage against the President of the United States. How did Bruce become the kind of artist who wears his politics so openly? And what impact has this had on his fan base?Laura travels to Milan in the heat of July for the last stop on the tour at San Siro Stadium, where she meets fans who’ve journeyed from around the world to witness this moment.~~~“I'm here tonight to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable, particularly these days, us. That's my magic trick.”In Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, we uncover the magic trick to discover how a scrawny, long-haired introvert from small-town New Jersey became the iconic, muscular, and oft-misunderstood rock star of the 1980s, to the eloquent elder statesmen he is now. What can his story tell us about America today?In each episode, Laura takes us to the front row of a live performance that reveals a different side of The Boss, and hears him across the decades in his own words from the archive. We'll also hear from fellow worshippers in the Church of Springsteen and disciples from the E Street Band, including drummer Max Weinberg, tributes from those influenced by Bruce, such as Bryce Dessner from The National, as well as Freehold town historian Kevin Coyne and music critics and biographers such as Richard Williams, Eric Alterman, Steven Hyden, Warren Zanes and Diane H. Winston.The Bruce Springsteen Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning Joni Mitchell Story, and the podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producer: Eliza Lomas Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Mix engineer: Ilse Lademann Series Development: Mair Bosworth Production Coordinator: Stuart Laws Research: Sarah Goodman Series Editor: Emma Harding Commissioning Editors: Daniel Clarke and Matthew Dodd Assistant Commissioner Podcasts: Will Drysdale
• The Miles Davis Story: Trailer 15.05.2026 2m

  Trumpeter Miles Davis didn’t just change jazz; he redefined the sound of the 20th century. But that constant reinvention came at a price. Clarke Peters explores a visionary artist, to reveal the man behind the legend: a complicated genius whose relentless pursuit of the "new" often scorched his own life and the lives of those around him.
• The Miles Davis Story: 1. Don't Call Me Legend 29.05.2026 28m

  Clarke Peters explores the life and legacy of a visionary artist whose relentless pursuit of the "new" often scorched his own life and the lives of those around him. In September 1944, an 18-year-old Miles Davis arrives in New York with a trumpet in his hand and a secret mission. He may have first arrived in New York to take up a place at the prestigious Juilliard School, but in reality Miles was actually patrolling the smoke-filled jazz clubs of 52nd Street, chasing the high-speed sounds of his bebop heroes, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Across the series, Clarke charts Miles’s ever-evolving artform, starting with this first great transformation of a legend - when the young Miles chose to step into the unknown, seize control of his own creative destiny, and begin his journey as a leader.Narrator, acclaimed actor and longtime fan, Clarke Peters (The Wire, Treme, Da 5 Bloods) reveals the restless genius and radical evolution of Miles Davis. Growing up in a New York household where his father’s jazz records were the permanent soundtrack, Clarke was captivated by Miles long before he fully appreciated the man behind the music. Across five episodes, Clarke traces a 50 year odyssey of constant reinvention - from a teenage outsider chasing the bebop revolution in 1944 to a global icon who redefined what it meant to be Black, to be cool, and to be an artist.Blending archival recordings and legendary tracks with fresh perspectives from a range of creators, the series reveals how Miles’ influence ripples far beyond the world of jazz. We discover how his "take no shit" attitude and aesthetic fearlessness impacted on the likes of Oscar-winning filmmakers, celebrated designers and music icons like Prince, Joni Mitchell, Sting and even bands like Radiohead, as well as generations of now also legendary jazz musicians that he championed early in their careers - John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Keith Jarrett and Marcus Miller, to name a few. The series also grapples with the darker side of Miles’ legacy, including the domestic abuse that left a trail of pain for those closest to him and the substance issues that took a deep toll on his health. It asks difficult questions about how to regard an artist capable of creating the most sublime aesthetic statements while engaging in brutal behaviour. Clarke Peters, whose own creative journey as an actor was sparked by Miles’s music, leads a searching investigation into a man who refused to be palatable, refused to be a "legend", and simply refused to stop moving forward.Miles Davis Interview: From Jazz Talking by Ben Sidran, 1986. The Arsenio Hall Show, Paramount, originally broadcast in 1989. 60 Minutes, CBS News. Originally broadcast in 1989Featured tracks (in order of appearance) “So What” – Miles Davis “Blue in Green” – Miles Davis (feat. John Coltrane & Bill Evans) “Bitches Brew” – Miles Davis "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" - MIles Davis “Agitation” – Miles Davis “Flamenco Sketches” – Miles Davis & Bill Evans “Ko Ko” – Charlie Parker “Salt Peanuts” – Dizzy Gillespie "Jivin with Jack the Bellboy" - Miles Davis "Move" - Miles Davis "Moon Dreams" - Miles Davis "Boplicity" - Miles Davis Presenter: Clarke Peters Series Producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Editor: Kirsten Lass Production Manager: Emily Duffy Music Consultant: Guy Barker Additional Music: Guy Barker Archivist: Simon Rooks Script Consultant: Anne Harbin Technical Production and Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby Commissioning Editors for the BBC: Dan Clarke and Matthew Dodd A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4
• The Miles Davis Story: 2. Back off the Ropes 05.06.2026 28m

  Clarke Peters explores a period when Miles Davis, the "King of Cool," was nearly knocked out for good. By the early 1950s, Miles had hit rock bottom - scraped off a Manhattan gutter by a friend and forced to pawn his trumpet to fund a heroin habit that had swallowed his career and his reputation. Clarke follows Miles on a desperate, 20-hour bus ride back to his father’s farm, where he would face his greatest demon in a brutal, solitary fight for his life. We discover how Miles used the grit and physical discipline of his boxing idols, Jack Johnson and Sugar Ray Robinson, to survive a "cold turkey" recovery and find a radical new way to play. Using a Harmon mute to create a dark, aching, and intensely intimate sound that would become his signature, Miles began a high-stakes hustle to reclaim his throne. From the shame of a prison cell to a last-chance appearance at a major jazz festival, this is the story of a legendary artist fighting his way back from the brink to see if the world was still listening.Narrator and longtime fan Clarke Peters (The Wire, Treme) explores the restless genius and radical evolution of Miles Davis. Across five episodes, Clarke traces a 50 year odyssey of constant reinvention - from a teenage outsider in 1944 to a global icon who redefined what it meant to be Black, to be cool, and to be an artist. Blending archival recordings with fresh perspectives, the series reveals how Miles’s "take no shit" attitude and aesthetic fearlessness influenced everyone from rock stars to Oscar-winning filmmakers. Yet, Clarke also grapples with the darker truths of Miles’s legacy, including the substance issues and domestic abuse that left a trail of pain for those closest to him. It is a searching investigation into an artist capable of the most sublime beauty and the most brutal behavior - a man who refused to be palatable, refused to be a "legend", and simply refused to stop moving forward.Presenter: Clarke Peters Series Producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Editor: Kirsten Lass Production Manager: Emily Duffy Music Consultant: Guy Barker Additional Music: Guy Barker and James Pearson Archivist: Simon Rooks Script Consultant: Anne Harbin Technical Production and Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Commissioning Editors for the BBC: Dan Clarke and Matthew DoddFeatured tracks (in order of appearance)"Right Off" - Miles Davis "Yesternow" - Miles Davis "Blue n Boogie" - Miles Davis "Walkin" - Miles Davis "Love me or Leave me" Rudy van Gelder (featuring Miles Davis) "it Never Entered my Mind" - MIles Davis "Oleo" - MIles Davis "Round Midnight" - Thelonius Monk (featuring Miles Davis) "So What" - Miles DavisJack Johnson, directed by Jim Jacobs, The Big Fights Inc. 1970 Clark Terry from BBC Jazz File, Miles Davis at 80, 2001