The DJ who gave 'Rock 'n' Roll' its name and it's music to America and Europe.
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."
In Europe, Freed recorded a weekly half-hour segment on Radio Luxembourg called Jamboree and changed how DJ's were working and what the audience were hearing. 208 magazine program guide described him at the time as - "the remarkable American disc-jockey whose programs in the States cause excitement to the fever pitch."
Alan Freed was also mentioned in The Ramones song "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" as one of the band's idols in rock and roll.
Now that definitely would have pleased the man.
