About Recounted : Reclaiming Our Midlands History

Hi, I'm Roger Moore, and I've been a trail-blazer in UK Gospel and Youth work since the mid-1990s.

While many know me for my work in Urban Music development—through production, events, and media platforms with Gospel Link 360 CIC (birthed in 2009)—my focus shifted before 2018. I saw a profound identity issue and a significant gap in knowledge within the community: the great exploits of the Windrush Generation and their descendants in popular music and beyond were simply not being Recounted.

Young people needed to know the immense positive input their community has contributed to the UK. They needed to realise their own potential to contribute and do even greater things, building on the foundation already laid.

The Foundation: Documenting a Legacy

The foundation of Recounted began in earnest in 2020. Over three years, we conducted over 60 interviews to produce an 8-hour, 8-part documentary series. This was exactly what the Midlands needed to instil a sense of pride in our input—our roots in Gospel music and how it fostered the resilience and creativity of a generation fighting racial injustice.
This foundational series sparked two recording projects, Recounted Live and Recounted Remix, which brought young people into the production process, teaching them about a sound that was previously undocumented.
In parallel, with Black Music Historian Kevin Tomlin, I produced over 50 episodes of “Affinity Xtra” on the Gospel Link 360 media platform. This podcast series explored the impact of Black Music success globally from the 1930s onwards, focusing not just on the numbers but on the vital social impact of these tracks.

The Vision: History for Generations The vision for Recounted, alongside our delivery partners, is simple and critical:

Make sure the Midlands’ lost history is accessible for the public to see.
Develop a learning program so this rich history can feature in academia for generations to come.

This isn't just history; it's a blueprint for the future. We're here to make sure the door that was made is now wide open.

"Through his entrepreneurial leadership on the Re/counted project, Roger has compiled the largest oral history archive of Black British gospel musicians in the country. This achievement is remarkable not only for its scope but also for its polish: the interviews are expertly produced, thoughtfully curated, and deeply engaging. His work is already serving as an essential resource for scholars, community members, and cultural institutions alike. I myself am drawing extensively from Re/counted in my current book project on the history and social influence of British gospel choirs. As more scholars examine British gospel music, his work will become an indispensable resource. But just as importantly, his work resonates with people within the Black British community who are seeking to understand, celebrate, and pass on their heritage."

Monique M. Ingalls, Ph.D Ammann Endowed Chair, Church Music & Worship Chair, Academic & Professional Studies Department Baylor University School of Music

"Recounted’ deals with providing a visual testimony of singers and musicians who grew up as part of the Windrush era – many of who are world-class musicians and singers: Through his filming he has given singers and musicians who have and are contributing to the music arts and cultural like of the North and North West an opportunity to recount their untold stories that contribute to the rich tapestry unique to the region. Some of the stories have enabled people, for the first time, to express the trauma and often challenging circumstances they had to endure in participating and being accepted not only in their immediate community but also by those who have had to acknowledge their unconscious biases and failings. At the same time, it is allowing diverse communities to breakdown barriers and find new ways of understanding – even across generations."

Juliet Fletcher Gospel Music Pioneer

Celebrating the musical impact of the Windrush generation in the West Midlands.