John Peel did more for folk music, especially contemporary folk, than any of the so called folk programmes or folk presenters of the sixties and seventies. He was the one who had the bottle to play the likes of Incredible String Band, Pentangle, Fairport Covention, Roy Harper and Ron Geesin. Later on Nic Jones told me that as long as you didn't use the f-word or the c-word you could sing any kind of traditional song on his programme without fear of censorship. In March 1969 hehad Mississippi Fred McDowell as guest on his Wednesday "Night Ride" and we had him at South Tyne Folk and Blues the following Friday night; you couldn't get moved in the club.
Thanks for everything John.RIP