Alan Freed

Born: December 15, 1921, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA Died: January 20, 1965, Palm Springs, California, USA Legendary rock-and-roll DJ who is often credited with the term "Rock-and-Roll," though he didn't actually coin it. Many of the top African-American performers of the first generation of rock and roll (such as Bo Diddley, Little Richard and Chuck Berry) salute Alan Freed for his pioneering attitude in breaking down racial barriers among the youth of 1950s America. His career was destroyed by The Payola scandal that hit the broadcasting industry in the early 1960s. Inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 (Non-Performer).