Ray Charles — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Tuning in…

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Ray Charles — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Artist

Ray Charles

25 episodes

Chosen over the decades

25

Total castaways

1980s

Peak decade

7

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Abdulrazak Gurnah
Alan Price
Bob Hoskins
Cliff Richard
Dr Christiaan Barnard
Engelbert Humperdinck
Eric Clapton
Gillian Reynolds
Jackie Kay
Jimmy Savile
Jools Holland
Ken Follett
Lulu
Mark Knopfler
Martina Cole
Maya Angelou
Michael Johnson
Michael Sandel
Mike Brearley
Randy Newman
Richard Chamberlain
Richard Condon
Roger Waters
Sir David Frost
more

Abdulrazak Gurnah
Abdulrazak Gurnah on mistaking the Nobel Prize call for a cold call
Castaway · 25 May 2025Lauren Laverne
Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler on his sister turning his tennis racket guitar the right way
Castaway · 4 August 2024Lauren Laverne

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

How Michael Sandel lured Ronald Reagan to a school debate with jelly beans

Castaway · 24 October 2021Lauren Laverne

08°50′S 048°24′W

Martina Cole

Martina Cole on being expelled from convent school for reading Harold Robbins' The Betsy

Castaway · 24 June 2018Kirsty Young

Gillian Reynolds

17°52′S 074°48′W

Gillian Reynolds

Gillian Reynolds on the red dots that proved she was born lucky

Castaway · 3 June 2018Kirsty Young

01°48′S 179°37′W

Jackie Kay

Jackie Kay on her birth father singing and dancing around her

Castaway · 23 October 2016Kirsty Young

Michael Johnson

23°39′S 084°15′W

Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson on retiring after 1996 while still world number one

Castaway · 16 October 2011Kirsty Young

23°23′S 076°01′W

Roger Waters

Roger Waters on the dream that made him realize he felt he'd killed his father

Castaway · 29 May 2011Kirsty Young

22°17′S 004°52′W

Randy Newman

Randy Newman on receiving a death threat over 'Short People'

Castaway · 19 October 2008Kirsty Young

Sir David Frost

08°20′S 020°24′W

Sir David Frost

David Frost on securing the Nixon interviews by guaranteeing six hours

Castaway · 27 November 2005Sue Lawley

Engelbert Humperdinck

19°53′S 157°59′W

Engelbert Humperdinck

Engelbert Humperdinck on starting the sideburns against all advice

Castaway · 19 December 2004Sue Lawley

11°34′S 080°54′W

Ken Follett

Ken Follett on reading his first James Bond story at age 12

Castaway · 25 November 2001Sue Lawley

10°38′S 036°20′W

Jools Holland

Jools Holland on playing piano in pubs for £7.50 a night

Castaway · 5 October 1997Sue Lawley

Virginia Ironside

16°05′S 176°32′W

Virginia Ironside

Virginia Ironside on regularly waking up screaming and calling the Samaritans

Castaway · 30 March 1997Sue Lawley

22°38′S 118°39′W

Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton on discovering at nine that his parents were actually his grandparents

Castaway · 10 September 1989Sue Lawley

13°43′S 107°11′W

Bob Hoskins

Bob Hoskins on landing a lead role while accompanying a mate to an audition

Castaway · 13 November 1988Michael Parkinson

01°48′S 025°37′W

Lulu

Lulu on singing from a golden coach during the Queen's Coronation

Castaway · 4 October 1987Michael Parkinson

19°29′S 054°56′W

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou on the moment poetry gave her back her voice

Castaway · 2 August 1987Michael Parkinson

04°00′S 120°05′W

Richard Condon

How writing the first letter of each word cured Richard Condon's stutter

Castaway · 28 September 1986Michael Parkinson

07°08′S 158°44′W

Jimmy Savile

Jimmy Savile on bringing a hospital patient to Desert Island Discs

Castaway · 30 March 1985Roy Plomley

08°46′S 111°23′W

Alan Price

Alan Price on the Animals' name coming from a squatter called Animal Hogg

Castaway · 4 December 1982Roy Plomley

18°41′S 088°32′W

Mike Brearley

Mike Brearley on learning philosophy in the slips from Eddie Craig

Castaway · 24 September 1977Roy Plomley

Dr Christiaan Barnard

17°32′S 122°50′W

Dr Christiaan Barnard

Christiaan Barnard on the loneliness after his first transplant patient died

Castaway · 17 April 1976Roy Plomley

Richard Chamberlain

11°35′S 058°17′W

Richard Chamberlain

How the musical Breakfast at Tiffany's flopped disastrously for Richard Chamberlain

Castaway · 14 March 1970Roy Plomley

10°08′S 053°08′W

Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard on how his stage name was invented over cider

Castaway · 31 October 1960Roy Plomley