Born in
Carshalton,
Surrey, Havers attended
Reigate Grammar School and then worked for
British United Airways, later
British Caledonian, at
Gatwick Airport. Initially he was a messenger but rose to become product manager on the company's North Atlantic routes, and then had responsibility for developing their domestic routes. In 1984, he moved to
Continental Airlines, launching their service between Gatwick and
Houston,
Texas, and contributing to building up the company's organisation. He left the airline industry in 1989 in order to work in the music industry. His first role, drawing on his airline experience, was in promoting concerts and tours by
Paul McCartney,
Chicago, and
The Beach Boys. He wrote and produced in-flight radio shows, and launched a
commercial radio station in Turkey, before becoming a prolific writer of books and articles, mainly on
jazz,
blues, and
pop music. He lived in the
Scottish Borders, where he campaigned against
wind farm development in the
Lammermuir Hills, before moving to
Somerset, where he chaired the board of the tourism organisation Visit Exmoor. He was married twice and had two daughters. Havers died in
Minehead on New Year's Eve, 2017, from cancer. ==References==