Northern Ireland's titan of TV and radio Gerry Anderson to be honoured with posthumous award from music industry
Legendary broadcaster Gerry Anderson is to be honoured with a posthumous award recognising his long career and huge impact on Northern Ireland’s music scene.
Next month’s Northern Ireland Music Prize ceremony will see the gong given out, along with £3,000 in funding to a bursary the great man’s family set up earlier this year to mark the tenth anniversary of his passing.
Son David Anderson said the family are honoured to see Gerry’s name on the Outstanding Contribution award, stating: “Music was at the heart of everything Dad did.
“Whether on the airwaves or on stage, he was always championing local talent and celebrating creativity.
"He had an unwavering passion for nurturing musicians and sharing their stories and talent.
"This recognition is a wonderful tribute to his legacy, and our family is incredibly touched by this gesture. Thank you for keeping his spirit alive through this award.”
Born in 1944, Gerry started out as a guitarist with local acts during the Sixties, before moving to Manchester and later Dublin to play in showbands.
After a sojourn in Canada in 1972, during which he played in the band of famed rocker Ronnie Hawkins, he returned to his native Londonderry to form the group Toejam and also began a career as a teacher.
In 1984 he joined BBC Radio Foyle, beginning more than 30 years on the airwaves that carried him into the lives and hearts of a huge and passionate provincewide following.
Rapidly becoming a household name, his dry wit mixed with a laid-back, folksy presenting style saw become a broadcasting titan in Northern Ireland.
He even changed the language we use, coining ‘Stroke City’ to cover the split Derry/Londonderry name – and if anything, more people call it Stroke City than grapple with the unwieldy full term that’s properly in use.
And while his laconic manner didn’t fly well over the water, his Radio 4 show Anderson Country infamously delivering an avalanche of complaints from outraged English critics, he was a cherished, hilarious and fearless voice on radio and TV in Northern Ireland.
And he was always a welcome face at local gigs, where he was famous for offering friendly advice and mentorship, as well as important platforms, to the province’s new artists.
He passed away in 2014 after a long illness.
Keith Johnson from industry body the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) said: “Gerry Anderson was a true champion of music and creativity, not just as a broadcaster but as a musician who understood the challenges and triumphs of the artist's journey.”
The £3,000 funding for the Gerry Anderson Music Bursary is coming from IMRO, with Mr Johnson adding the body is proud to support something that ‘honours his remarkable legacy and continues his commitment to fostering new talent’.
He said: “Gerry’s unique voice and passion for music will forever be remembered, and this bursary will ensure that his dedication to nurturing musicians lives on.”
The posthumous award will be handed out at the Northern Ireland Music Prize ceremony in Belfast’s Ulster Hall on November 13, which will be broadcast live on BBC Radio Ulster.
The Gerry Anderson Bursary can be found here.