Celebrate This Life – Lainey D

It was during our days at Sunset Radio and we were celebrating Martin Luther King Day. We took the decision to try and speak to Coretta Scott King. When she said yes we were absolutely delighted and Lainey was the one who carried it out.

It was a truly wonderful interview and to this day it remains one of the favourite interviews I have been involved in. You can listen to the interview here:- I will apologise for the technical quality as this recording had to be taken from a cassette.

I have known Elaine for decades from her days at the original BBC Radio Manchester where she co-presected the I’N’I Rules show.

That was the first time I had heard her broadcasting and I knew for certain that if I ever got a radio station then Elaine would have to be on it.

Some years Later I was lucky enough to get a station and that was Sunset Radio which broadcast in the Manchester. We launched on Sunday the 22nd of October 1989 and at 1:00pm the next day Lainey D as she was now named did her first show and it was wonderful.

She had a personalty as big as a house and As the Legend that is Steve Quirk said “Lainey was a wonderful “full of life” character…you could hear her laugh 30 seconds before she walked into the studio..RIP xox

Lainey remained at Sunset Radio for as along as I was there and she continued long after me.

She was a wonderful broadcaster with a special knack of connecting with her audience.

On new Years day this year I Got a phonecall from a mutual friend Hewan Clark telling me that Lainey was very ill and I agreed that I would go an see her as soon as I could. Unfortunately within 48 hours I would get another call telling me that she had passed away.

The funeral was held at the Seventh Day Adventist church on Wilbraham Rd in Fallowfield and what a wonderful send off she was given.

It was truly a celebration of a life will lived.

It was an absolute joy to see so many people who I had not seen in many a year. And also to see others who I am in constant contact with like Dawn Payne.

There were some great tributes to Lainey D including from members of her family who had travelled from Jamaica for the funeral.

When I was informed of her passing I posted a very simple message on Facebook – “RIP Lainey D. You lived life to the fullest.”

And she had. Lainey D was 1 in a million and the world is a better place having had her in it.

She will never be forgotten!