Wed 2 Feb 2022

Following a five week break over summer, Helen Jennings OAM will return to air Wednesday 2 February to celebrate Roots of Rhythm’s 35th anniversaryRoots of Rhythm first hit the PBS airwaves on Wednesday 1 February 1987 and has been showcasing the very best in blues and roots every week ever since.

A big show is planned for Helen's return, with lots of favourite new releases from last year, a chat with Melbourne musician/author, Craig Horne from The Hornets, who coincidentally, are celebrating 25 years in February.

Helen Jennings OAM and Billy Pinnell OAM at PBS
Helen Jennings OAM and Billy Pinnell OAM at PBS

Roots of Rhythm will also be celebrating PBS' dear friend, Melbourne broadcasting legend, Billy Pinnell, being awarded an OAM in the Australia Day Honours List. Billy has been a regular Roots of Rhythm co-presenter for many years during PBS Radio Festivals, and we can’t wait until we can have guests in the studio again.

The celebrations continue across February, when on Wednesday 9 Roots of Rhythm will feature Carl Panuzzo, the founding member of much-loved Melbourne blues mainstays, Checkerboard Lounge. Then Jackey Coyle will return with her excellent segment, Wordy Gurdy on Wednesday 16 at 9.30am, with Melbourne singer/songwriter, Chris Cavill at 10.30am. And that’s just the start!

"The growth of PBS & community radio is driven by small groups of passionate volunteers, whose enthusiastic, infectious love of music has developed a much wider listener base in recent years. It’s this passion to keep sharing the music we love that drives myself & my fellow announcers to broadcast week after week, year after year. I am very proud to be part of such a strong community, and very grateful for the opportunity to do what I love. Our state-of-the-art brand spanking new studios makes our enthusiasm to produce the best radio even more so. I can’t promise another 35 years of RoR, but............!" 

Helen Jennings OAM

Tune in every Wednesday at 9am to hear Roots of Rhythm

Congratulations to Helen for 35 incredible years of broadcasting on PBS. 

Helen Jennings OAM at the Roots of Rhythm 30th Anniversary party in 2017. Photo by Kym Schreiber
Helen Jennings OAM at the Roots of Rhythm 30th Anniversary party in 2017.
Photo by Kym Schreiber