BBC Radio 2 has apologised after mistakenly paying tribute to jazz musician George Benson following a news report announcing the death of composer George Fenton.
The error occurred during The Good Groove, presented by Melvin Odoom, after the 11pm news on Monday (October 5).
Odoom was sitting in for DJ Spoony, when the presenter introduced George Benson’s version of Nature Boy as a tribute.
BBC Radio 2 told Newsquest: “This was a production error, for which we apologise.”
The mix-up was spotted by composer David Arnold, who criticised the station on social media.
Arnold said: "Radio 2 announced the passing of George Fenton on the 11pm news tonight, immediately followed by the presenter playing Nature Boy by George Benson in tribute to George Benson."
He went on to pay tribute to Mr Fenton, describing him as "such a great person as well as a genius composer."
Arnold said Mr Fenton "deserved better than that from the company he gave voice to musically on so many brilliant occasions."
Who is George Benson?
George Benson is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer and songwriter who began his professional music career as a jazz guitarist at the age of 19.
A former child prodigy, he rose to prominence in the 1960s through his work with soul jazz musician Jack McDuff and other artists.
Benson later enjoyed major success as a solo performer, blending jazz, pop and R&B with his distinctive vocal style.
His 1976 album Breezin' reached number one on the Billboard album chart and achieved triple-platinum status.
Benson's popularity continued throughout the 1980s, with his live shows attracting large audiences, and he remains widely admired today.
During his career, Benson has won 10 Grammy Awards and been honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Who is George Fenton?
George Fenton was an English composer best known for his work in film and television.
Throughout his career, he collaborated with a number of acclaimed directors, including Richard Attenborough, Nora Ephron, Stephen Frears, Ken Loach and Terry Gilliam.
He composed the scores for a wide range of successful films, among them Gandhi, Cry Freedom, Dangerous Liaisons, Groundhog Day, The Fisher King, Dangerous Beauty, You've Got Mail, Sweet Home Alabama and Hitch.
Fenton was also widely recognised for his music for David Attenborough's nature documentaries, including Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and Wild Isles.
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He also composed theme music for many BBC news programmes, including Newsnight, Breakfast Time, BBC World News and Radio 4's PM.
His achievements earned him five Academy Award nominations, along with numerous Ivor Novello, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Emmy and BMI Awards, as well as a Classic BRIT Award.
He was also one of a select group of composers and songwriters to be made a Fellow of the Ivors Academy, formerly known as BASCA.
Did you notice this error being made on BBC Radio 2 on Monday? Let us know in the comments.
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