Eric Smart




Hospital Radio Chelmsford – Volunteer Q&A
Name: Eric Smart
Nickname (past or present): None – which I know of!
What day and time do you present/volunteer on HRC? Fridays between 2.00 and 3.00
Do you present your own show? Yes
If yes, what is the name and content of your show? ‘Magical Musicals’ and features songs and tunes from Musical Theatre
When did you join Hospital Radio? January 2012
What made you choose to volunteer for HRC? Persuaded with very little pressure by the then chairman, whom I had known professionally.
What do you enjoy most about HRC? Three things really – the friendly welcome by the team, the joy of (hopefully) entertaining the patients and the chance to bring a little brightness into their lives.
Favourite music genre? Musical Theatre – perhaps obviously!
First album ever bought (LP or CD)? A Girl Called Dusty – in 1964 – Dusty Springfield and featured such tracks as ‘Wishin’ and Hopin’’ and My Coloring Book’. I had just started work and with my first week’s salary of 10/6d, I bought this album and an umbrella!!!
Favourite artist/band/singer? Will Martin (a young New Zealand tenor) & Abba (sorry)
What is your most influential music memory?Funnily enough, it was at a funeral I was organizing for an elderly aunt. They played the wrong track on the CD and the one they accidentally played was so amazingly appropriate – ‘Into The West’ from the Musical, Lord of The Rings. Listen to it to see what I mean.
Favourite single, 7” or 12” or MP3 (for the younger generation)? It’s got to be ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ – the Simon & Garfunkel version.
Biggest artist to inspire you musically and why?Probably Elton John as he performs as I would have loved to have been able to. Accompanying oneself on the piano to the singing of a song you’ve written is nothing short of amazing!
Best live concert or performance you’ve seen?
Michael Bolton at Wembley in 1997
Away from music, what do you enjoy most? Ilove directing musicals but don’t know if that would count. Apart from that travelling abroad is a great passion of mine.
What is your current occupation or study status? Retired – was the director in charge of Customer Service at UBS (Swiss Bank)
If you were hosting a dinner party, which 5 famous people would you invite (dead or alive)? Will Martin (you might have guessed that), Anna Neagle (if you don’t know who she is, look her up – and she was a relation of mine), Rafael Nadal, Stephen Fry and Robert Burns.
If you could go back in time, what era would you travel to and why? The 1950’s – it’s when I was growing up and I have every happy memories of that time. People were happy to have come through WW2 and things were starting to look up and everyone seemed to pull together to make things better.
What would be your ideal Holiday Destination?Vancouver – brilliant! Vibrant though a bit British, but wonderful scenery, food and people. Sydney, Australia would be a close 2nd.
What would be your perfect Sunday? With no restrictions! Full English with my entire family on Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco followed by a stroll around Ayer’s Rock, then a light al fresco lunch with a dozen of our closest friends at Pitlochry. The afternoon would be spent researching music for my next HRC programme (!!!) before travelling to London for dinner at a favourite restaurant with my wife. The evening would be spent by attending a performance of ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ for an audience of my choice, rounded off by a nightcap with the cast. Dream on!!!