Inheritance Tracks

Mathew Baynton is an actor, writer, comedian and musician – who shot to fame as part of the troop who brought us the historical and hysterical sketch show Horrible Histories on CBBC. Since then, along with his fellow co-stars, he has gone on to create, write and star in the critically acclaimed BBC series – Ghosts. He describes how he finds inspiration in both the light and shade of Leonard Cohen'...

Douglas Stuart’s debut novel Shuggie Bain won him The Booker Prize in 2020. It centres around an alcoholic single mother and her gay son navigating life on a Glasgow estate and it reflects Douglas’ own troubled upbringing. After near homelessness he earned a place at The Royal College of Art…and went on to land in the epicentre of New York fashion, working for huge brands. In this edition of the p...

Alex Jones, is a broadcaster possibly best known and host of The One Show on BBC One. But her new show Reunion Hotel sees her give people a unique chance to reunite with one person from your past in one-of-a-kind hotel. In this edition of the podcast Alex reunites with the sound of Elton John playing on vinyl in the woodchip walls of her childhood home, and remembers the joy of the birth of her so...

Sir Tony Robinson is a multi-hyphenate; an actor, comedian, broadcaster and author whose career has, so far, spanned 50 years. He’s probably best-known for playing turnip-brained Baldrick (who always had 'a cunning plan) in the iconic TV show Blackadder, and his twenty-year stint fronting Channel 4’s Time Team, a series inspired by own his passion for digging deep into the past, to understand the...

In this edition of Inheritance Tracks Rufus Wainwright reveals the stories behind the music that continues to inspire him; from the highlands of Scotland to a powerful song gifted to his peers and contemporary gay men. Rufus will be performing at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival on April 29th. Music: Inherited: Wild Mountain Thyme - Judy Collins Pass on: Heading for Home by Peggy Seeger

As well as being a consummate journalist, newsreader and broadcaster, Sophie does ‘beyond the limits’ running…the Marathon des Sables for example…for pleasure?! In this edition of Inheritance Tracks she reveals the very personal stories behind the music that continues to inspire her and evoke such fond and beautiful memories; from her Grandfather's peerless piano performances to the raucously fun...

For Elizabeth Day, nothing succeeds like failure as her award-winning podcast How To Fail With Elizabeth Day proves - and getting in the way of defeat once again is her new book Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict. In this edition of Inheritance Tracks she reveals how a warm down track in a spin class helped her through a tough time in her life and how the story behind one Abba classi...

Sukiyaki by Kyu Sakamoto and On My Feelings by Ruby Modine

Joan Baez performing There but for fortune, Nina Simone: Feeling Good

I Feel by Teddy Thompson and Any Dream Will Do by Jason Donovan

Eric Bibb, The Cape and Lianne La Havas, Green Papaya

Nothing Shines Unless It Burns by Belladonna and Fratres by Arvo Pärt

Let's Stay Together by Al Green and Move On Up by Curtis Mayfield.

He's Misstra Know-It-All by Stevie Wonder and Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven

If You Don't Know Me By Now by Simply Red and California King Bed by Rihanna

Saving All My Love for You by Whitney Houston and Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

Photo credit: Joseph Sinclair

Mona Lisa by Nat King Cole and Don't Fence Me In by Gene Autry

Good Morning Mr Walker by The Mighty Sparrow and Killer Queen by Queen

Everything I Own by Ken Boothe and Stevie Wonder, Living for the City

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and All Things Must Pass by George Harrison.

The Promise by Bruce Springsteen and Simple Twist Of Fate by Bob Dylan

Rocket Man by Elton John and Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

On Her Majesty's Secret Service by John Barry and Travelin' Soldier by The Chicks

Look over yonder wall by Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Broken Down Angel by Nazareth.