The Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll?

By Jeff Little

Johnstown, Pennsylvania: the birthplace of rock 'n' roll? Well, not exactly. But it is the birthplace of Alan Freed.

Freed was one of the most influential figures in the history of music, but he wasn't known for his musical ability. He was best known as the person who popularized the phrase "rock 'n' roll".

Born in 1921, Freed played trombone in a high school band called The Sultans of Swing, but that meager claim to fame would by no means be his only accomplishment Later he would demonstrate a much greater talent in a slightly different entertainment venue.

In 1942 he landed his first announcing job at WKST radio in New Castle, Pennsylvania. From there he moved on to a sports casting position at WKBN in Youngstown, Ohio and finally found a job in Akron, Ohio at WAKR in 1945.

Spinning mostly hot jazz records in Akron, Freed achieved a local popularity that eventually took him to Cleveland, Ohio in 1949. First working at WXEL-TV, he was moving ever closer to his actual niche.

At the recommendation of local record store owner Leo Mintz, the musically adept Freed started playing rhythm and blues discs at WJW radio in the summer of 1951.

Calling himself "Moondog", Freed's ability to recognize great music served him well as he introduced Cleveland to some of the hottest sounds around.

Recognized as the true birthplace of rock 'n' roll, Cleveland, Ohio has just cause in claiming the title. In addition to being today's home of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (opened in 1995), Cleveland also played an instrumental part in the early days of the musical genre (due in no small part to the efforts of one Alan Freed).

In March, 1952 Freed helped choreograph his "Moondog Coronation Ball". The event was to take place at the Cleveland Arena but it produced a turnout the venue could not sustain.

The show was cancelled as 20,000 fans (reportedly almost all Black) rushed the gates of a hall that had a capacity of only 10,000.

Far from being the fiasco it first appeared to be, "The Moondog Coronation Ball" served instead as a turning point in both American music and American race relations.

Somehow avoiding negative feedback, the near-riot had an opposite effect as its publicity managed to capture an increasing number of White listeners and speed Freed's rise to fame.

Being typical of Alan Freed's admirable "colorblindness", "The Moondog Coronation Ball" was an important step in proving that music has no color (an idea that Freed would prove time and again).

The event is now considered to be the first "rock" concert and in no small way hurried the acceptance of a musical form that Freed had begun to call "rock 'n' roll".

Demand for his talents took Freed to WINS radio in New York in 1954 and soon the entire world was introduced to the music he helped popularize.

His fame continued to escalate and secured him a place in the hearts of anyone who knows his name and values the contributions he made not only to music but also to the social awareness it can bring.

Buddy Holly has been referred to as "The Father of Rock 'n' Roll" and Elvis has been called "The King of Rock 'n' Roll". Perhaps Alan Freed should be known as "The Teacher of Rock 'n' Roll".

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Alan Freed

Alan Freed

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame