Alan Freed

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.