The co-founder of MGO and Key Records, Pete Meadows, dies aged 84

ONE OF THE most significant behind-the-scenes figures in the history of British Christian music, Pete Meadows, died in London on Friday 9th January. In 1965 Pete, a musician in a Christian band The Unfettered, got together with two fellow musicians Geoff Shearn and David Payne to form Music Gospel Outreach (MGO) to liaise with the growing number of grassroots Christian beat groups. Over the next few years MGO went on to organise larger and larger teaching events and concerts culminating in events at venues like London's Royal Albert Hall. MGO also started a record label, Key Records, which released the first albums by seminal UK acts like Graham Kendrick and Adrian Snell as well as releasing the first album by American Larry Norman.

In 1965 MGO also launched Buzz magazine under Meadows' editorship which grew into a general Christian magazine that underwent name changes and is still published today under the name Premier Christianity. Meadows was also a key figure in the birth of Premier Christian Radio. At last year's StepFWD Awards ceremony Meadows received an award, along with Geoff Shearn and David Payne, for MGO's services to UK Christian music. CR

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