John Robert Parker Ravenscrof, the legendary BBC radio host who was best known as John Peel, turned people on to music via BBC1 from 1964 until he died in Peru in 2004. It's hard to believe any other DJ will have his longevity, influence, or ear for talent going forward.

His Peel Sessions helped launch the careers of some of your favorites. In them he would record fledgling and established artists to play 3-5 tunes in the studio (usually 4), splice them up by song, and present them on his show.

It was always entertaining and typically educational.

Some of those who had multiple appearances on the show included The Fall (24 sessions), The Wedding Present (13), Fairport Convention (12), Billy Bragg (11), Thin Lizzy (11), Fleetwood Mac (9) and PJ Harvey (9), Pink Floyd (5).

He had AC/DC on in 1976, Dinosaur Jr. on three times between '88-'92, Nirvana on three times from '89-91, and Sonic Youth on three times between '86-89.

He had a knack of catching lightning in a bottle before most even knew how to properly spell the group's name .

The White Stripes were one of his favorites, and they loved him right back.

"He always wants to uncover the underdog," Jack White said, "he’s doing the DJ’s job…finding the little cracks in the cement around the world. John Peel’s the most important DJ of all time, I think."

The listeners agreed and adored his deadpan, effortless, and honest takes.

Even while he was playing the songs, he kept it real. He wasn't shy about being critical. This wasn't PR. The show wasn't a hot hits advertisement for the Next Big Thing, even though some of these groups would be exactly that.

He played punk, hip-hop, grunge, alternative, and indie because he enjoyed them. Imagine that.

Listen to him casually diss The Police's debut Outlandos d'Amour, saying that live they were much better than their recordings.

Casey Kasem never said that, or Rick Dees, or Seacrest. Those guys seemed like salesmen, company men, hucksters. Guys waiting for their agent to call for the next thing the stepping stone of music would afford them.

John Peel's only stone was music. And he was never afraid to mock it.

“I do think that British music is really terribly dull. It's going through a really bad period at the moment," he said in 1993.

"It won't go on forever, one hopes, but at the same time, I'm not sure why it is really, but people seem to be reluctant to do anything that they've not done many times before, which brings us to a new single from the Jesus And Mary Chain, which in spite of what I've just said, I rather like.”

When Peel died of a sudden heart attack at 65 years-old, Elvis Costello praised him. Keep in mind, Elvis, wrote the scathing anti-radio song "Radio Radio," which SNL banned him for singing on their air.

"Peel was the contradiction of every bad thing you could say about radio. He had an open mind about music, whether he was bringing the listener the Incredible String Band or the Fall, Mike Hart or Echo & The Bunnymen and countless bands that appeared only to be heard on his great shows."

Peel, he continued, was "a great man, a fabulous killjoy - he was as rare as the music that he loved."

The best way to honor the great DJ is to enjoy the bands he loved, particularly the ones who have stage names.

Elvis, for example, is playing many dates in the UK next month. Then he comes to the States for tribute at the Forum for Robbie Robertson. Tickets available on Declan's website.

Sting is keeping busy in North America with his 3.0 Tour. Tickets available on Gordon's website.

Jack White is playing just a few show this year, but one is at Desert Daze out in Joshua Tree. Tickets on available on John's site.

The Jesus & Mary Chain will be touring this fall in North America with the Psychedelic Furs. Get your tix on the Reid Bros site.