Charles Thomas Gillett (/ˈɡɪlɪt/; 20 February 1942 – 17 March 2010) was a British radio presenter, musicologist, and writer, mainly on rock and roll and other forms of popular music.
In 1965, after graduating and marrying, he went to Columbia University in New York City to study for a master's degree, taking as his thesis — unconventionally for the time — the history of rock and roll music.
[2] After he returned to England in 1966, he taught social studies and film-making at Kingsway College of Further Education in central London, while starting to turn his thesis into a book.
[1] He brought Ian Dury to public attention, and was the first DJ to play demos by Graham Parker, Elvis Costello, and Dire Straits ("Sultans of Swing").
[1] In the latter case, significant numbers of London's A&R men had contacted Gillett's studio by the time he had finished playing the song — sending Dire Straits on their journey to global stardom.
[2] The same year, with partner Gordon Nelki, Gillett launched the Oval record label with Another Saturday Night, a compilation album, which popularised Cajun music in the UK.
[5] While at Capital, Gillett also co-presented The Late Shift, a weekly late-night strand of music concerts and films for Channel 4 in 1988, alongside Vivien Goldman.