Billy Strayhorn — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

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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

Billy Strayhorn — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

Billy Strayhorn

9 episodes

Chosen over the decades

9

Total castaways

1980s

Peak decade

3

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Dizzy Gillespie
Elvis Costello
Frank McCourt
John Humphrys
John Surman
Maria Ewing
Peter O'Sullevan
Professor Baruch Blumberg
Tony Bennett

John Humphrys
John Humphrys on fearing his career was over after Jonathan Aitken's accusation
Castaway · 6 January 2008Kirsty Young
Professor Baruch Blumberg
Baruch Blumberg on the three years it took to connect an Australian blood sample to hepatitis B
Castaway · 19 January 2003Sue Lawley

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

Frank McCourt

Frank McCourt on writing his earliest memory in the present tense

Castaway · 17 June 2001Sue Lawley

02°13′S 060°21′W

Maria Ewing

Maria Ewing on thinking her mother's compliment meant she couldn't play the piano

Castaway · 21 February 1999Sue Lawley

Peter O'Sullevan

21°59′S 044°28′W

Peter O'Sullevan

How the Blitz cured Peter O'Sullevan's acne-induced loneliness

Castaway · 28 September 1997Sue Lawley

01°19′S 001°46′W

Elvis Costello

How Elvis Costello stood outside a bank with a whistle during bullion deliveries

Castaway · 23 February 1992Sue Lawley

14°07′S 049°31′W

Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett on his first job as a singing waiter at 16

Castaway · 4 January 1987Michael Parkinson

10°40′S 058°10′W

John Surman

John Surman on choosing the baritone sax because it cost the same as an alto

Castaway · 6 October 1984Roy Plomley

Dizzy Gillespie

11°10′S 004°44′W

Dizzy Gillespie

Dizzy Gillespie on receiving a trombone from his school at age 11

Castaway · 19 January 1980Roy Plomley