7 February 2022 21st Century Folk: Radio 2 is always looking for ways to tell stories, and 21st Century Folk is a creatively ambitious and hugely exciting new endeavour. Following in the tradition of the Radio Ballads, I’m proud that in the BBC’s centenary year we will be telling the real life stories of our listeners in the North East of England, using original music to create a lasting legacy of their experiences. Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2

BBC Radio 2, in partnership with BBC Local Radio, launches 21st Century Folk, an ambitious initiative to capture the essence of life in the North East of England in 2022 - the BBC’s centenary year – through the prism of folk songs, and offering people from the region the opportunity to have a song written about their life. Mark Radcliffe unveiled the project to listeners on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on Radio 2 and on BBC Radio Newcastle and BBC Radio Tees, asking people from the North East to share stories about their daily lives. Five of these stories will be given to songwriters, who will write original songs based on the listeners’ experiences. The songs will then be performed by a range of artists, including musicians with links to the region.

BBC Radio 2 Folk Show with/without* Mark Radcliffe

Broadcast 02 Nov 2022* Available on BBC Sounds for 23 days Teesside songwriter Sean Cooney, of The Young'uns, shares his favourite songs about real people. Sean is one of the songwriters involved in Radio 2's 21st Century Folk, which is creating a musical time capsule of life in the North East of England. Five singers are meeting five Radio 2 listeners and writing songs about their lives. Inspired by 21st Century Folk, Sean devotes this week's Folk Show to songs about real people and true stories.

21:00 09 November 2022* Then on demand for 30 days on BBC Sounds Chris Difford of Squeeze shares songs by his favourite folk and acoustic songwriters. In January 2023, Chris will take part in Radio 2's 21st Century Folk, writing a brand new song about a real Radio 2 listener from the North East of England. The project will create a musical time capsule of northern life in 2023, in which five real people will have their life experiences immortalised in song.

21:00 16 November 2022 Strange gap in BBC Radio 2 schedule!

21:00 23 November 2022 Then on demand for 30 days on BBC Sounds This week, Jackie Oates and her trio perform songs from her new album, 'Gracious Wings'.