Guy Pearce and Des Shaw strike Gold at New York Festivals Radio Awards

Acclaimed actor Guy Pearce has teamed up with award winning audio producer Des Shaw (ex 96fm Perth) to win Gold at the New York Festivals Radio Awards.

The prestigious global competition honours excellence in radio, podcasts and audio storytelling.

Written and presented by Pearce, ‘Jeff Buckley Forever’ won the  Best Documentary: Culture & The Arts category at the awards gala in New York City overnight.

The documentary was commissioned by BBC 6 Music in the UK to celebrate the 30 years since the release of Buckley’s seminal album Grace.

Pearce says “I was one of those people who was immediately transfixed when I first heard Grace – and it’s no exaggeration to say that the album literally changed my life.”

“It’s a stunning work of art that continues to amaze and inspire new generations of fans excited by Jeff’s incomparable talent. At the core of my admiration for Jeff lies an extremely personal and profound feeling that he’s not singing or speaking to me, but that he is speaking for me.”

“I’m lifted and floored every time I listen to Grace in a way that no other music has ever done to me.”

Two and a half years after Grace was released, just as Buckley was preparing to record his second album, he tragically drowned in mysterious circumstances.

“Jeff immediately joined the pantheon of rock legends who burned too bright to soon and sadly never lived to achieve his full potential,” says Pearce.

As Des Shaw explains, the two-hour special features a stellar list of contributors, each providing their own perspective on Buckley’s influence.

“It was important that the program feature people who could explain the factors that influenced Jeff’s art, so we began with his mother, who described Jeff’s abandonment issues.”

“When it came to hearing from established stars who inspired Jeff and were impressed by his talent we included recollections from Patti Smith, Peter Gabriel, Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and Nitin Sawhney.”

The New York Festivals Radio Awards is judged by a panel of more than 100 distinguished storytellers from the radio industry, spanning six continents.