As a fan of rock n' roll I have heard and known about all the great founders from the 50's. Yet before this class I had barely heard a word about Alan Freed. This seems strange, for without him rock wouldn't have gained its popularity among white audiences, this whole class might not exist. According to the readings, he even went as far as trying to trademark the phrase rock and roll. He isn't left out because of his involvement in the payola scandal or his unfortunate end, that is fairly common in rock history. I believe he forgotten in pop culture because he himself did not create music himself.

The general public remember the artists, the producers of artful products. Only people who obsess over rock remember on those who helped the artists succeed. The historians and the knowledgeable remember the agents of Bob Dylan or Elvis. They know the unsung heroes who wrote music for artists who never wrote their own. I see Alan Freed as a member of that camp. After his public life ended, the world forgot him as he had no more to contribute to the world of music in their eyes. People like that stay in their time period and don't move onward in the public eye. He never could have staged a public comeback in the way Elvis did in 68. In no way does this diminish his accomplishments though. I believe we should appreciate Freed's part in rock history and the disk jockeys should be a well known part of the birth of rock and roll music. The musicians may be the face of the industry, but without the lesser known parts there would be nothing to expand on. No industry. No music. No class. The thought is just too terrible to even consider. I appreciate being able to learn about Alan Freed as well as the other unsung heroes of disk jockey-dom, because without them life would be just a little more dull and a lot less rocking.