Biography

Alan Freed

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Alan Freed was an American disc jockey, music writer, and early promoter of rock and roll. He initially gained notoriety in the late 1940's while working for radio stations in Ohio, eventually leading to work in New York City. He was instrumental in bringing African-American artists directly to White audiences (instead of playing White acts covering Black artists' music), and popularizing rock and roll as a phrase and as a genre. Throughout the late 1950's he also appeared as himself in "jukebox musical" films, which showcased a series of popular groups and singers, and as a presenter on TV. His career became embroiled in scandals by the early 1960's due to his acceptance of "payola" payments from record companies to play certain songs (essentially bribes; the practice was frowned upon and eventually outlawed in 1960), taking credit for co-writing songs that he did not write (and thereby receiving royalties when he and others played them on air), tax evasion, and alcoholism. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, 21 years after his death.
- IMDb mini biography by: Ann Onymus

During the summer of 1957, he hosted "The Big Beat", Saturday nights on ABC. The show featured live (as opposed to lip sync) performances of many of the top Pop and Rock recording artists of the day, including Frankie Lymon and Sal Mineo, who had a hit with "Start Movin' (In My Direction)". The format was similar to Freed's R n R theatrical revues. As of 2012, there appears to be no film (kinescope) available of these landmark broadcasts. Videotape was not introduced until 1958.
Legendary radio disc jockey in the 1950s who helped popularize the term "Rock and Roll" music.
Posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame (1988).
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a charter member under the category Non-Performer (1996).
Worked as a disc jockey at WJW in Cleveland from 1951-1954 and hosted the late-night "Moondog Rock 'n' Roll Party". In 1952, he promoted the "Moondog Coronation Ball" widely regarded as the first ever rock concert.

[on rock and roll] This music comes from the levees and the plantations. It's simple to dance to, and to clap your hands to, and the kids know the words to every song. That's why they come. This is an audience-participation kind of music. They come in and pay to sing louder than the performers.
It's natural that kids should look for excitement and thrills. Well I'd rather that they find it in the theater than in street gangs. I say that if kids have any interest in any kind of music, thank God for it. Because if they have the interest, they can find themselves in it. And as they grow up, they broaden out and come to enjoy all kinds of music.

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