John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE (30 August 1939 -- 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio and TV presenter, record producer and journalist.
John was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004.
He was one of the first broadcasters to play psychedelic rock and progressive rock records on British radio, and he is widely acknowledged for promoting artists working in various genres, including pop, reggae, indie pop, indie rock, alternative rock, punk, hardcore punk, breakcore, grindcore, British hip hop, electronic music and dance music.
Peel's Radio 1 shows were notable for the regular "Peel sessions", which usually consisted of four songs recorded by an artist live in the BBC's studios, and which often provided the first major national coverage to bands that later would achieve great fame.
Links to John Peel and his radio shows below: