Alan Freed, a well-known disc jockey, was first to coin the phrase,” rock and roll” on public radio, when introducing Chuck Berry’s Maybellene.

(take a listen)



(The term "rock and roll" appears in Trixie Smith's 1923 recording of "My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)” . The song’s lyrics make use of double entendre to refer to dancing and sex. It’s also in the 1934 pop hit "Rock and Roll," by The Boswell Sisters, which referred to the motion of a ship on the sea.)

Freed, also known as Moondog, became internationally known for promoting African-American rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll. He also arranged live concerts and played "black" music on his radio station. He chose to play original songs by black artists rather than cover versions by white artists, and was thus was instrumental in introducing this new style of music, “rock and roll”, to a teenage audience who had their own musical taste quite unlike that of their parents.

Freed appeared in several movies in which he played himself. In the 1956 film, ‘Rock, Rock, Rock’, Freed tells the audience that "rock and roll" is a river of music that has absorbed many streams: rhythm and blues, jazz, rag time, cowboy songs, country songs, folk songs. All have contributed to the big beat."

Sadly, his career hit the rocks at the height of his fame.

In 1958, Freed faced controversy in Boston when he told a concert audience, "The police don't want you to have fun", and was arrested and charged with inciting a riot.

His career ended when accusations were made - and proven - that he had accepted payola (bribes) from record companies to play specific songs. There was also a conflict of interest, as he had taken songwriting co-credits (most notably on Chuck Berry's "Maybellene"), which entitled him to receive part of a song's royalties. Freed could help increase these royalties by heavily promoting the record on his own popular radio show. After a legal injunction, Freed's name disappeared from the credits. However, the fact remains that many recording artists lost royalties that they were entitled to receive through Freed's actions.

Freed lost his own show on the radio station WINS; then he was fired from the station altogether. In 1960, payola was made illegal. In 1962, Freed pleaded guilty to two charges of commercial bribery, for which he received a fine and a suspended sentence.