Mike Baker - Tribute

Originally a broadcast engineer, Mike Baker was another of the early ILR names whose first taste of UK radio was at the United Biscuits Network, after a spell at Radio Veronica. That slick and familiar UBN sound was to become his own.

Mike is renowned for having been the first voice on the 19th and 'final' commercial radio station, Beacon Radio in Wolverhampton, where he also established the station's distinctive music policy in 1976. He went on to feature in the early days at both Heart and at Saga in the West MIdlands; and elsewhere, from Lantern to Chiltern.

Mike spent much time overseas, most recently in Holland and Belgium helping out with Radio Tien Goud.

Mike died in December 2013. Sadly he hadn't been able to make the closing ceremony for the old Beacon Radio building just weeks before, and sent his apologies with typically good wishes.

Here, here, a slice of Mike's programmes through the early years at Beacon, and a fond valedictory clip he recorded for the closure of UBN.