ALAN FREED TRIBUTE
ALAN FREED TRIBUTE
Albert James “Alan” Freed made his radio debut in Pennsylvania in 1942, but he made history when he arrived in Cleveland and met Record Rendezvous owner Leo Mintz. Mintz introduced him to the R&B records he played on his “Moondog Show” Alan Freed hosted what is widely considered to be the first rock ‘n roll concert. “The Moondog Coronation Ball” in 1952. 30,000 people showed up at the 10,000-seat arena and chaos ensued.
On Saturday, May 7th, fans gathered in Cleveland to welcome Alan Freed home…51 years after his death. The legendary deejay, who is credited with naming the music rock ‘n roll, was celebrated at a ceremony at Lake View Cemetery, which included an introduction by radio personality Norm N. “Mr. Music” Nite, a keynote address by Steven Van Zandt and performances by Jimmy Clanton and The Drifters.
Freed eventually moved to New York, where he dominated the airwaves, produced stage shows and hosted TV’s, “The Big Beat” (which was cancelled after singer Frankie Lymon danced with a white girl and offended parents looking for a reason to hate the new music). He also became the main target of Congress’ payola investigation in 1960, ending his career in New York. He died on January 20, 1965 in Palm Springs, California at the age of 43.
But Alan’s travels weren’t over. His ashes were interred in New York until they were moved to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2014, Alan was “evicted” from the Rock Hall, inspiring his son Lance to create the monument at Lake View and give his father a final final resting place.