Notable people · Entertainment
Alan Freed
Born in Windber, Pennsylvania and raised in Salem, Ohio. His Cleveland WJW radio show from 1951 promoted rhythm and blues to a wide audience, and he organized the Moondog Coronation Ball at the Cleveland Arena on March 21, 1952, often called the first major rock and roll concert. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
At a glance
- Born
- 1921-12-15
- Died
- 1965-01-20
- Education
- Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
- Salem High School, Salem, OH, to 1940
- Known as
- Entertainment
- Organizations
- WJW
Life story
Alan Freed was born in Windber, Pennsylvania, in 1921, graduated from Salem High School in 1940 and attended Ohio State University, where he got interested in radio.
He started at WAKR in Akron in 1945, nicknamed The Old Knucklehead, then moved to Cleveland's WJW in 1951. He popularized the term rock and roll on mainstream radio.
He organized the Moondog Coronation Ball on March 21, 1952, now seen as the first major rock and roll concert.
In 1959 he was fired from WABC for refusing to sign a payola denial; he later admitted taking bribes and pleaded guilty in 1962 to commercial bribery. A 1964 tax charge followed. He died in Palm Springs in 1965 and his ashes are at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland. He entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
Timeline
- 1921-12-15: Born in Windber, Pennsylvania (Windber, PA) source
- 1940: Graduates Salem High School (Salem, OH) source
- 1945: Starts at WAKR (Akron, OH) source
- 1951: Joins WJW (Cleveland, OH) source
- 1952-03-21: Moondog Coronation Ball (Cleveland, OH) source
- 1959: Fired from WABC over payola (New York, NY) source
- 1962-12: Pleads guilty to commercial bribery (New York, NY) source
- 1965-01-20: Dies in Palm Springs (Palm Springs, CA) source
- 1986: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland, OH) source
What Alan is known for
- Moondog Coronation Ball, Cleveland Arena, 1952-03-21
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 1986 (Ahmet Ertegun Award)
- Moondog Coronation Ball, 1952
Inventions and firsts
- Popularizing the term 'rock and roll' (1951-1952) credit is disputed
Honors and things named for them
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1986
- Hollywood Walk of Fame, 1991
Places in Ohio to see
- Lake View Cemetery (grave)
12316 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County ZIP 44106 · Cleveland · Cuyahoga County - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (museum)
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd (E 9th St), Cleveland, Cuyahoga County ZIP 44114 · Cleveland · Cuyahoga County · official page
Ohio places
Where Alan Freed was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Lived: Salem, Columbiana County ZIP 44460 · Salem · Columbiana County
- Worked: Cleveland (WJW radio), Cuyahoga County ZIP 44114 · Cleveland · Cuyahoga County
Myths and corrections
- Freed is often said to have coined 'rock and roll'; Wikipedia says he popularized a term already in use.
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Alan Freed (Wikipedia) born Windber PA 1921-12-15; Salem OH; died Palm Springs 1965-01-20; WJW from 1951-07-11; Moondog Coronation Ball 1952-03-21; term origin
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Alan Freed 1986 induction; promoter of rock and roll; first rock and roll concert