Doncaster rocker John Parr lands week long stint on Radio 2

Doncaster rock star John Parr is taking a trip down memory lane after landing a week long stint on Radio 2 talking about the records that have played a big part in his life.
John Parr with Ken Bruce. (Photo: BBC Radio 2).John Parr with Ken Bruce. (Photo: BBC Radio 2).
John Parr with Ken Bruce. (Photo: BBC Radio 2).

The Sykehouse-based St Elmo's Fire star will be appearing throughout the week on Ken Bruce's mid-morning show to choose some of his most favourite and important songs during the show's The Tracks Of My Years segment.

John's worldwide hit St Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion) hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985, remaining there for two weeks, was the main theme for Joel Schumacher's 1985 film of the same name and catapulted John to global fame.

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The song also peaked at number six in the UK and was written in honour of Canadian athlete Rick Hansen, who at the time was going around the world in his wheelchair to raise awareness for spinal cord injuries. His journey was called the "Man in Motion Tour."

The Worksop-born singer-songwriter Parr carved out his formative musical career in the pubs and clubs of Northern England before becoming one of the globe’s biggest stars in the mid 80s.

St Elmo's Fire earned him a Grammy nomination and a successful album also followed and to date he has sold more than ten million albums around the world.

The show will be broadcast on Radio 2 every day this week between 9.30am and noon.