Various Alan Freed - A Hundred Years Of Rock 'n' Roll (CD)

Alan Freed was THE top radio D.J. in 1950s America. Not because he is - incorrectly – considered to be the inventor of the term 'rock and roll' (African-Americans had been using that moniker since the 1930s), but because he took advantage of the rising popularity of R&B and white rock 'n' roll to put on R&B originals, which he then called rock and roll. He came up with all sorts of gimmicks for his radio shows and enthralled a teenage generation from Mexico to Canada. Hollywood took advantage of his immense popularity and gave him roles in music movies, and he got his own TV show. With this album we chronicle the most important years of his life, from his rapid rise to his sad decline in connection with the 'Payola' affair. 

Even if some titles on this CD are well known, like Bo Diddley or Chuck Berry's Oh Baby Doll - but where else do you get to hear these titles with announcements from the first legendary dee-jay in music history?  One or two songs may be available on YouTube, but the audio quality of our production is unbeatable. What made Alan Freed so popular? What made him the prototype of the radio DJ? Our CD production answers these questions twice. 

No, he did not invent the genre term 'Rock and Roll'. But Alan Freed did use the phrase in his early 'Moondog' radio shows in Cleveland, Ohio. Later in New York, his 'Rock and Roll Dance Party' shows became legendary, especially as he took them from the radio to the stage as well, putting on huge live concerts from which the bonus live tracks were taken.